The Last leaf of Autumn
by Wanderer's Cynefin
Summary: Stanley Dickinson is living the last days of his life when the Beyblade gang re-unites to make them his best days but soon - with Boris coming out of jail - they find themselves in something which has an end as death or even worse - being broken forever. Boris kidnaps someone and what's more, this is legal - "Sorry Tyson, that's why I always brand my slaves..." PART-2 UP!
1. Chapter 1

**The Last leaf of Autumn**

 **Disclaimer:** **As obvious, I don't own Beyblade or anything else recognizable except the plot and OCs. I don't make any kind of money from this and don't give anyone the right to use my characters.**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **1**

 **Planning the Surprise**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Stanley Dickinson awoke to the crimson autumn morning of this outstanding October month. It was just the breaking of the dawn and here he was strolling in his garden in his casual attire. He let out a deep sigh. As deep as the weight of the guilt he carried.

He had very well convinced himself – he had to bear it all alone. Not that there wasn't anyone to care for him, but... Why should he force people into _his_ problems?

The whole trio of Biovolt, Team Psykick (Gideon, Dr. B and Dr. Zagart) and the BEGA over the past years had somehow crumpled many things. They pulled those teenagers in bitter struggles of life who were actually entitled to something else. And now after 3 years, when life has been stable, who was he to stir it again?

And why the hell was he feeling so glum? Death is not a new thing; Death is inevitable. Isn't it something which everyone knows? Thousands of people die every year and he would also be just another person to die. It was as simple as that.

Yes, there was no need to tell anyone. A new tournament was approaching; he would finish the announcements and paper-works as soon as possible. Just a few weeks more and he would gladly walk to his grave himself.

But still, it didn't feel right. Somehow, somewhere deep inside, it didn't. Maybe because he already knew what fate was awaiting him and he wanted to run away from it as far as he could. Or because... because _this_ thing was just eating him from inside?

He didn't know. Neither did he want to know.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"—Mark Mr. Frank, he's coming."

"—No, no absolutely not... Yes, yes it's a resort... of course there'll be a shower –"

"—I'm glad that you agreed Ms. Akiyami... yes, yes the vehicle will be sent on Thursday—"

"—Come on Sir! Can't you just alter your schedules? It's just a matter of few days and that too with all your old classmates—"

This was what going on in the Granger dojo ever since the afternoon today. Kai and Kenny were coordinating everyone by finding and giving them as many phone numbers as they could manage and keeping track of the progress made.

At about 11:30 pm, Hiro exclaimed – "So with that we've covered most of the people. As for the rest, I guess we'll have to go and inform them personally—"

"Tomorrow." Kai interrupted, his arms crossed and eyes closed, as all the heads turned to him.

"The sooner, the better." He replied to their gazes.

Some sighed, some shrugged. Judging by the tone of finality in his voice, it was a common conclusion that there was no use of arguing further – which implies, they had to get up early tomorrow.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Tyson watched as everyone crept in their rooms. Hilary too was staying over tonight.

Honestly, he hadn't expected everyone to turn up so soon on such a short notice. Just a day before, Hiro had broken the news to everyone that Mr. Dickinson was suffering from last stage liver cancer – an information which he accidentally stumbled upon somehow being a close associative of his in the BBA – and that he only had a little more than a month with him. He had to be admitted in the hospital soon.

3 years had passed since the BEGA incident and there was very little conversation between the team – all were busy in their own lives. But this news... It was a big blow to everyone – something which they didn't even had the time to cope with. Tyson wasn't sure what they were all supposed to do with it but the next day, everyone turned up at his dojo as clueless as he was and soon, whole team was ready – Ready to make Mr. Dickinson's last days the most memorable. And yeah, it was going to be a surprise for him.

Even Tala came. He hadn't been notified initially by Hiro but -

 _'_ _Since he stayed by my side when I was in coma regardless of the git I was in the first championship, I do owe him something and therefore, I don't think I will be comfortable with him going forever without me being able to repay it.'_

This was what he said and no one had anything to say after this.

Tyson entered his room to find Hiro sitting on the bed and on the other – which was Tyson's – was a girl sleeping.

"Slept already?" he asked gesturing towards her.

"Yeah. Pretty tired our little sister is." Hiro pushed blanket over her. "The couch's waiting for you."

Tyson laughed lightly and changing into his pajamas, sat beside the girl patting her head lightly. "Under the circumstances you guys left to Australia, I wasn't expecting this sudden return."

"Same here." The elder lad yawned. "But then I realized that the best way to deal with our problems is to face them. And secondly, there are very less chances of them tracing her here to the Granger Dojo."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely not."

Tyson looked up at his brother who was gazing intently to the starry sky outside. Times like this, Tyson could easily tell that presently, a million things were running through Hiro's brain. And somehow, he was able to grasp some of them.

"You will look around the whole world to find a treasure but never on your own doorstep." He said.

A smile slowly found its way on Hiro's mouth and he nodded, because here was finally a day when his brother was able to read his thoughts. Something which had become history lately. A cool gust of wind circled around them, rustling past their ears.

Tyson stroke his sister's hairs as he asked, "Do you reckon they know she's with us?"

"They might suspect on Mr. Dickinson for a while, but I think - no." And with that Hiro lay down on his bed, pulling the covers up to his head signalling the end of the discussion.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

The next morning Kai got up early and went to the kitchen to have some food.

He had just opened the refrigerator and was peering over the eatables when sensing someone was behind him; he turned his head and then –

 **SMACK!**

A tight punch – square on the face – by whomever the person was. Pain surged through him but before he could pull himself back, that "someone" pulled him up by his collar and yelled in his ears –

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU AND HOW DARE YOU STEAL FOOD FROM HERE?"

A female voice, but not Hilary.

Frustrated and angered, his eyes snapped open and almost as a reflex action, he pulled her forward, twisted her free hand, freed himself and trapped her.

He analysed her – black hairs, two messy braids, dark eyes, still clad in night robes and height about 5'2-3" – yes, he had never met her before.

"Same question goes to you."

"This is my house you're standing in so my question is more valid." She snapped back. Now that he looked more closely, she had deep purple eyes.

He raised an eyebrow at her; she narrowed her eyes to him and the next instant, both had their hands on each other's throat – glaring daggers into each other.

"What is this noise so early in the morning homies?" Grandpa Granger entered the kitchen, still yawning.

"This dirty dog was sniffing the food in our kitchen!" She exclaimed loudly and Kai suddenly felt the urge to tighten the grip and bury her right then and there.

"Language dear." He pointed towards the girl. "Whatever it is, first leave each other both of you." He commanded and reluctantly they both backed away.

"You both didn't meet yesterday so I guess a little introduction should solve this issue." Grandpa Granger turned towards Kai, "Son, this is June Granger, my grand-daughter and Tyson and Hiro's sister..."

Kai snorted. Considering the jerk he analysed her to be, he should've known this. _But since when did Tyson have a third sibling?_

"And June," he turned towards the girl, "This is Kai Hiwatari. I'm sure Tyson must've told you about him."

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"You have to leave me at 14 New Street, north of here."

"Me at Narukami road."

"Town Circle."

Ray, Max and Tala said as Kai drove off the vehicle. They were all in the going to different addresses to invite those people personally whom they couldn't contact via phone. Since there was no more space, Tyson and Hilary rode the motorbike. He was waiting for June also to say something but she didn't and he was also not bothered enough. He would be glad to leave her somewhere in the middle of a forest.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"See you soon dude," Tala said and left.

Kai looked at the only living creature left in the car through the rear view mirror.

"Don't glare at me like that," She frowned and crossed her arms. So if she's not going to say anything, he was also not going to move at all.

1 minute passed...

10 minutes passed...

20 minutes passed...

"Fine!" she threw her arms in disgust. "Tokyo University!"

That was kilometers and kilometers away that too in the opposite direction. And leaving her there would mean wasting another 2 hours in the journey. Bloody hell! She was going to stick with him till Hogshead village where he had to go!

Cursing under his breath, he started the car.

"Hn. Tyson was right," she spoke soon, "You're as stubborn as a mule. And now I have to stick with you for another 3 hours till Hogshead Village–"

Honestly, it should've been him to be complaining not her.

"What? Don't cock an eyebrow at me. Tell me, what I will do with a cold, always-alienating-himself, Hard-heartened, frown-laden-always, harsh, ignorant, indifferent, lone-wolf, arrogant, always-giving-death-like-glares, dark, egoist, mysterious, sarcastic, smart, unkind – okay not unkind maybe, wise, tough, ruthless captain like you?"

 _Where are rifles when you need them the most?_

She kept on talking and listening to the chats of an idiotic girl was not the way he had planned this to go.

The scenes on their journey track began changing as they neared their destination. Forests, rivers and crop fields dotted with small wooden houses and people working tirelessly. Kai was glad that she had ceased talking and was busy watching the scene outside and pointing at several things which you could only find in village life excitedly. But that didn't mean she wasn't annoying.

"Did you see that sloping roof? Do you think I can slide on it?" _What was she? 5?_

After a journey of about 3 hours, they reached the place and got off the car. Fresh air and pale sunlight of the autumn month greeted them.

"Hey aunt!" She shouted and waved energetically at some random elderly women working in the field, " I'm in too! Should I?" the ladies smiled and beamed at her and surely she would've splashed herself in the field if Kai wouldn't have grabbed and held her back.

"We have more important stuff to do than that Granger." He glared at her.

"Then can we eat in there? Those dumplings are calling me on a date with them..."

"No."

"Let's climb on that tree then! There's even a nest up there... Ooh! It has bird chicks also!"

"No."

"You're such a boring bear Kai." She pouted and moved away. "No wonder why people always walk out on you."

 _Fucking. Hell._

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **A/N: I know the chapter shifted on the OC as it neared the end but it was important because she has little time with her. so I wanted you all you give an insight in her character. That's it. Not telling anymore about her - not that she's an interesting figure but still :P**

 **Do tell me how you felt about this chapter, your reviews matter a lot :)**

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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who read the first chapter of this story. And to wingsofpegasus – a guest reviewer whose name very much sounds like a username – Tyson doesn't have a sister in the anime and manga story-lines. She's just an OC of mine for the story. So on with the chapter!**

 **Note:** **Italics are flashback scenes.**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **2**

 **SURPRISE DIDDYKINS!**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Plain and dull – if words could describe Stanley Dickinson's present life, these two did.

Somehow, he had lost all interest in life. He felt no enthusiasm in meeting anyone anymore – probably the reason he started working from home – and often turned people back by sending words through servants. Though he felt a pang in his chest, but he turned away Ryu Granger and Tyson's father twice.

Confined within the wall of his house, he was as empty as the half of the trees outside.

It was time for brunch. He had lost most of his appetite and hence refusing to eat, sat down with some papers to work. The same monotonous routine.

"Mr. D! Open the door."

He looked up. Tyson's voice no doubt. Only he could pound the door like that still not knowing the use of a doorbell. Excitement rushed through his veins as if his long lost son had come home.

Tyson definitely wouldn't be alone. There must be Hilary with him or even Kenny and Daichi. Perhaps Hiro and June were also back from London. No... maybe not that. But still he felt enthusiastic upon having to meet the young lot.

But no, he won't open the door. No he won't.

He motioned one of his servants to open the door as he shut his room's door.

"We know you're there Mr. D and if anyone other than you opened the door, my launcher is ready I promise."

A short laugh escaped his mouth. He opened the door, composing himself back. The servant was halted in mid-tracks at Tyson's warning and Mr. D asked him to resume his work.

He went to open the main door. Determined to keep him composed and make them leave within a minute.

As soon as he opened the door, Tyson, Hilary, Ray and June stormed inside over him even before he had time to say anything.

"No time for greetings Mr. D—"

"—we've got to get you ready in 10 mins. —"

"—otherwise he'll kill us—"

"—and I don't want to have an early death—"

"—your clothes and shoes and books—"

"—and we've to secure your house before leaving—"

"But what is happening here?" Dickinson spoke sternly, his voice laced with anger. As much as he wanted to talk to them, he wanted them to leave his house.

Everyone paused, had a look at him, smiled and returned to their respective tasks – much to his astonishment.

Ray said, blindfolding him, "You'll get to know in the next 10 minutes." Ray's presence was indeed a surprise.

"But..."

"No buts Mr D." That was June. So he was probably wrong about her and Hiro's return.

So he sat down on the sofa, blindfolded – frustration and anger gushing through his veins. Exactly 10 minutes later, he heard rolling sounds of suitcases being pushed in the hall and simultaneously came the sound of a Bus horn from outside.

"They're here. Let's get going." Hilary's voice came and she guided him outside the house. He heard the click of locking the door behind him.

"Now will anyone tell me—"

"See it yourself Mr. D." Tyson's voice echoed in his ears and the blindfold was pulled out. It took him a second to adjust to the light and then he opened his eyes.

 **"SURPRISE DIDDYKINS!"**

And before Mr. Dickinson could register the faces of all the 18 people there, he found himself being crushed in a big group hug.

"Dieting Stan? You look pale!"

"Stan can still pull a crowd of oldies swooning over him. Right Katie?"

"Seems like old age has got over you Diddykins. Don't tell me you didn't recognise us."

He broke the group hug and gasped with surprise as he had a clear look of all the old faces surrounding him –

"Edward, Percy, Joanna, Andrew, Arthur, Mia, Satomi, Amar, Kim, John, Katie, Black, Dora, Satoshi, Gen, Elizabeth, Peter, Isabella!?"

"Don't forget us Diddykins!" Grandpa Granger waved enthusiastically from the bus window accompanied by few of his old companions.

"Jennifer, James, William, Angelina, Eric!" He recognised them also though they were 2 years ahead of him in school.

"But... how... why..." 80 percent surprise, 20 percent confusion.

At this stuttering question, an old man who had his hands around Mr. Dickinson's shoulders called as Arthur, beckoned towards the teenagers standing aside and grinning at Mr. Dickinson's shocked face giving him an I-knew-you-would-be-knocked-for-six kind of look.

"You guys? You rounded up my whole class?!"

"Well," Ray smirked, "Almost whole."

Tyson went forward and taking Mr. Dickinson's hand in his own, said – "Just because you didn't tell us anything doesn't mean we wouldn't come to know."

"If you were somehow planning to go without any notice, then I'm sorry Mr. D, but your plans have been altered." Hilary smiled cheekily, standing beside Tyson.

"After all it was you only who told us that just like darkness can be erased even by a small ray of light, sadness can also be erased just by a little group of friends." Ray said which officially brought tears in Mr. D's eyes.

"Oi! Even I want to say something!" Max hopped out of the bus and sprinted towards them. Kai and Max had brought all of them from the Granger dojo.

Max was out of breath but spoke nonetheless – "You are like the grandfather most of us never had so... Well, you can make up the rest."

He smiled at them wiping his tears.

"And," June approached Mr. Dickinson and whispered close to his ears – "I also called Katie Russell. I would kill to look like her in my old-age."

Mr. Dickinson asked – "June, what's your point?"

"Well, Grandpa told me you had a big crush on her..."

"June!"

And he – though flushed red like a tomato – engulfed all the lads tightly. And Kai horned the bus again – "We're getting late!" shouted Grandpa Granger.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"—bless those crackers we had set! Our headmaster ran out of his office and didn't show his face for the next two days! Though it was all your idea Stan, but honestly Edward, That was probably the best prank we ever played!" The old man called Arthur patted the old blond bloke who beamed proudly around the bus. They were on their way to the resort.

"Professor Edward Wright!" June exclaimed, "And you gave me 4 hours of detention for doing the same last year!"

The smile on his face immediately went off, triggering a loud roar of laughter from the others.

"And what did you do Miss Granger along with your good-for-nothing brother?" He asked with narrowed eyes.

"Compliment taken sir," Tyson commented from sidelines earning a glare from Hilary.

"Would you believe everyone? They locked me up in the bathroom!" Professor Edward said, his eyes flashing.

"Really kids?" Arthur asked eagerly, "How did you do it? Left him there for at least 7 hours I assume-" he faltered as sparks flew from Professor Edward's eyes. "I mean - that's very indecent kids – very wrong – very wrong indeed. You should show gratitude towards your teachers-"

"Oh my God! Someone alert the media!" An old lady mocked, "I'm glad I lived to see this day!"

"I assume that was a compliment Mia dear?"

"Not at all, it's something called sarcasm. You should better learn things from Stanley."

"Now, now!" he threw his hands in air, "Don't hit on Stan. He belongs to Katie. By the way I'm free after 9 sweetie," He added flashing a grin in her direction, shadows of handsomeness still showing on his face.

"Arthur Frank!" Mr. Dickinson and the lady called Katie, shouted in unison about the comment he made, their faces red as the whole bus joined to hoot and shout "Oh-s" and "Ooh-s".

"Can't tell you how much we missed this 'Denial Reaction' out of you two." Ryu Granger gave air quotes, emphasizing the words.

"Adding to the million times I've already said, I don't – and never did – fancy Katie Russell." Mr. Dickinson pointed as a matter of fact and the next moment –

"Denial!"

"Denial!"

"Denial!"

"Denial!"

"Denial!"

"Denial!"

"Denial!"

"Denial!"

"Denial!"

"Denial!"

"Denial!"

"DENIAL!" followed by the other 16 shouts.

"Ray, Max, Hilary you too!" Mr. Dickinson exclaimed as the said people made sheepish expressions. "Can't we all discuss something else?"

"Yeah sure. Otherwise you and Katie will jump out of embarrassment once we start rambling about how you asked her to the Christmas Ball," said an almost balding old man otherwise known as Percy.

"Or how you poured the entire blue chemical on me instead of the flask while ogling at her in the classes," John pointed out.

"Or how Katie sneaked up to the library to see you." That was Joanna.

"Or how you tipped me for knowing her favorite color," Isabella stated.

"Or how you presented her with a speaking parrot which only said the words – 'Will you go out me dear?' " Angelina teased.

"Or how Katie snapped back by sending the message – 'Not even in your dreams' " Satoshi declared.

"What fun are you guys getting in spilling out all the secrets?" Finally Katie Russell spoke, frustrated by all this.

"We are not spilling secrets; we are just fucking recalling them," Eric voiced, a rather serious looking stiff man.

"Can you ever spend a day without using swears Mr. Eric Eaton?" Elizabeth said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"They are not swear words-"

"They are sentence enhancers!" Arthur, Tyson, June, Kim, Max all shouted in unison.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Kai was sitting on the driving seat, listening to the conversations from afar. He was quite relieved to see the plump old man laughing and smiling again. Recollecting his friends wasn't a bad idea after all.

 _"Suggest me something fast Kai! Even I want to say something to Mr. D!" Max said pacing up and down the bus and Kai just rolled his eyes._

 _Suddenly Max jumped in front of him, and clutching his legs spoke - "Kai, the mighty Kai, the power full Kai, the awesome Kai-"_

 _"Fuck off Max! He is like a grandfather most of us never had and you sound like those squealing fangirls!" Kai rambled out as he jerked away his precious legs from the blond and glaring daggers in him. Since when had Max become so persuasive?_

 _"Thanks Kai you're the best." He flinched a little but grinned having accomplishing his task successfully and waved out to the others through the window, "Oi! Even I want to say something!" and he hopped out of the bus, running towards them._

How did he let his tongue slip so easily? Perhaps Max's sudden action caught him off guard... or whatever. He didn't know how those words just escaped his mouth. Not that he looked upon Mr. Dickinson as a grandfather, but then... he did feel something... something when he saw Tyson with his grandfather, Ray with Tao or...

He craned his neck back, looking where Ryu was sitting with June and Tyson either side of him, laughing and enjoying. June and grandpa were mockingly beating Tyson who was faking a cry of defeat and Arthur and Dickinson trying to save him.

He could never have that relationship with Voltaire.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

It was late afternoon and nearly everyone was taking a nap after lunch. Hilary held up a blanket for short old lady with blond curls. "Here you go Miss Jennifer."

"Thanks a lot dear." She smiled at her; "You guys really did a good job planning out this short vacation for us." She patted her lightly on the back and closed her eyes pushing the covers up to herself.

Hilary started moving to her own seat when all of a sudden someone grabbed her by waist and a hand landed on her eyes.

"Tyson! Are you mad? If someone saw us-" she desperately tried to free herself but Tyson was more muscled than her.

"If someone saw us," she felt his warm breath on her neck which was enough to calm her down. "Wouldn't it be obvious that I'm embracing my girlfriend?"

"But still Tyson..."

And then the wheels of the bus hit a boulder so hard that the whole bus jerked, disturbing their balance and ruining a perfect moment. Hilary stumbled forward while Tyson backwards, he slipped and fell down.

"Need I confirm from Tala that you've afternoon blindness or did you seriously didn't notice the boulder Hiwatari?" Hilary heard June's voice from the front seat beside the driver's one.

"There's nothing called afternoon blindness and if you could just shut that bloody mouth of yours, I would give better concentration on driving." He hissed back, completely pissed off.

"Very good indeed," June replied, "So every time I want you to say something I will have to first say about 2000 words and then you will utter somewhat 20 words which will also include labeling me as a 'bloody mouthed' person. Incredible Hiwatari! I'm flattered!"

Hilary chuckled at the response and leaving them at that, she went to check on Tyson, who was rubbing his head.

"Shut up Granger."

"I'd rather eat slugs than to obey that command."

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

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	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks a lot to everyone who read and is reading the story and Sorry for being late. I literally had trouble with this chapter. So my ramblings aside, let's get on with the chapter :)**

 **Note: Italics are scenes from flashbacks.**

 **3**

 **Volleyball Match**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

It was nearly evening when they reached "The Four Aromas" – their resort. Everyone was tired from the journey and scrambled out of the bus as Hilary gave out keys to the rooms. Dinner was all set and Tala's sense of decoration was really appreciated by all. Plain yet attractive.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"So what's for today?" A red –haired old bloke called Gen asked over breakfast, almost in the excitement of a child being taken to the amusement park.

The past few days had been a great fun. They had gone for camping on the nearby hillside, where Arthur and June nearly drowned their guide for a laugh giving the rest of the group a hard time to make up for their mistake. They had a visit to a very old Buddhist Temple where the older lot became quite disciplined all of a sudden – 90 minutes meditation – much to the dismay of Tyson and Daichi. Yet another night they had Karaoke - where the truth was discovered that Mr. Dickinson had been an unrivalled karaoke singer once upon a time. He even sang a song for Katie Russell!

Sure the past few days had been fun, but not for a Kai Hiwatari. Reason – Granger. Specifically, June Granger.

For God knows what reason, she always found a way to annoy him or tease him, or irritate him. Only he knew how many times he had restrained himself from slicing her into two halves. Kai twirled the spoon as he remembered the day at the Buddhist temple –

 _"_ _Hold this, Five Feet Six inch," June addressed Kai holding out a bunch of roses. Kai gave her a quizzical look._

 _"_ _Don't expect me to add 'please' for this mundane task and don't tell me you're too delicate to handle these flowers, Triangles." It was a recent habit she picked up – to give him new names every ten minutes or so. Tremendously annoyed and not having any other choice, he took the roses from her only with the intention of throwing them away as far as he could but then –_

 _SPLASH!_

 _A gush of water from the bouquet splashed on him, practically drowning his face. Before he could give the culprit a glare and a slap probably, she had thrown her arms around him in joy, ignoring the fact that water was dripping from his hairs._

 _"_ _You won me 20 dollars Mr. Cold-shoulder!" She moved apart jumping in joy, "Be happy that's probably the first good deed of your life!"_

 _And she ran towards the others who were now standing a few yards away, shouting, "Yo Max! I won the bet! I drowned Hiwatari's face!"_

He was snapped back to attention by Hilary's voice. She was saying, "We were thinking about going to the school-"

"Noooooo!" And Arthur did a perfect impression of a fainting fit. Many of them also groaned at the idea of going to a school and yet others wanted to dismiss the plan.

Hilary gave quizzical looks across the table.

Tala got up from his chair and exclaimed pulling out his mobile phone – "So, I guess Artefacts Museum would be better than Golden Lion Academy." The whole crowd was stunned for a sec as Tala spoke over the phone – "Hello? Tala Valkov speaking. I'm sorry we won't be coming over to the Golden Lion Academy today..."

"HELL NO!" The whole crowd shouted and Tala lowered his phone.

"What?" he hissed.

Looks were passed from one end to the other and finally the old lady called Jennifer said – "Schools aren't that bad isn't? Besides, who's interested in history anyway?" And everyone nodded to agree with her.

Tala regarded them for a while, his eyes severe and expressions unfathomable, then spoke on his cell phone – "I'm sorry there had been confusion. We'll be coming."

There were shouts of relief and joyous punches in the air as every face gleamed with happiness. After all, Golden Lion Academy was the school where they all had studied.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

With heightened spirits, the old lot scrambled out of the bus faster than a group of teenagers to stand in front of the large iron gates of the Golden Lion Academy.

It wasn't a very large school but still stood in full grandeur. It's white and red walls boasting of being awarded the best school in the region 3 times in a row and of all the students who made it happen. In the middle was a big clock tower and on top of it was an emblem – a golden lion in a proud roaring position.

Tears glistened as everyone stood there, the 25 faces in awe – remembering the bright happy days they had spent there.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

As it was a weekly holiday, the school was devoid of any students, giving our group plenty of time to roam around. Mr. Ken Akechi - a person who had taught nearly all of the 25 oldies present and in their days, was the youngest teacher of the school – presently, its headmaster, was way too happy to welcome his old students back.

The afternoon sun shone quite like a winter one – warm but not hot and everyone retired in the playground after having lunch and roaming around the whole school. Labs – where they had probably done the biggest explosions of the century, library, classrooms and corridors. Clouds still covered most of the sky and the cool wind blew, making the weather quite enjoyable.

"Just asking randomly, how many of you are up for a Volleyball match?"

Everyone stared at the source of the voice – Amar – an old man with brown skin and brown wavy hairs, a rather timid person. He was gazing at the Volleyball field, a place which had seen numerous matches of friendship and rivalry.

And the next moment, everyone was ready with the plan. Net was put up, teams divided and referee ready – Professor Edward in this case. Max took the microphone, playing the commentator and others took seats as audience. Hilary sat beside Max to note down the scores; Ray went off to make a quick call to his pink haired girlfriend.

"So dear friends, we are on with a quick Volleyball match of 11 points, and great people like us don't bother about sets so here we welcome the teams on the ground," Max started off, "Team 1 – Arthur, Isabella, Amar, Satomi, James and Black – known to be a malicious player by birth in words of Mr. Arthur..." his voice drained a bit as Hilary glared at him.

"And the second team – Miss Mia, Our grandpa Granger, Angelina, Andrew, Peter and the plump round Mr. Dickinson."

Everyone clapped and whistled.

The referee called the captains to shake hands. Arthur and Mia came forward.

"Afraid Mia?"

"I wasn't the National player for being afraid, Arthur dear."

They smirked and the two teams took positions. Mia's team was to serve first.

"So here goes the whistle and perfect serve by Grandpa Granger – Satomi hits a back – that was a great dig Andrew – now hits Arthur – and that was a splendid reply by Mia! Team 2 lead by 1 point! What an amazing lady she is, her team won National championship 5 times in a row – seems like old-age is no barrier to her -"

"Max, can you tell us what's going on in the game?" Hilary interrupted.

"Oh sorry Hilary, just some background information. I have asked her autograph thrice and she refused twice-"

"Max!"

"Oh ok –what's the score by the way? – yeah it's 3-2 and Team 2 is leading ahead of Team 1 – James serve – what a shot Mr. Dickinson – Isabella hits back – Slowly Miss, that's your husband's nose you are aiming at – what a flying shot by Peter – James saves – my God! It was hard indeed – And Black hits! What a smashing hit aimed straight at Angelina's shoulders – and the scores equal!"

The audience had taken sides as the match raged on. Mr. Dickinson, owing to his condition not known by many, left the match soon to be replaced by a blond lady called Kim who looked quite younger than her age.

"—and Andrew hits back – has anyone else noticed that he is not hitting towards his wife? And that's the reason probably why Isabella is getting confident with each shot. You are a good husband dude!"

"Max Tate! For what exactly are you sitting here?!"

"Oh I'm sorry Hilary – so yeah the score is – 7-9?! – When? How? – Oh what a fucking interesting this match has become – THAT WAS A FOUL! – Points to Team 1 – Score 8-9 –Tensions heightened – Oh! Did you catch that smirk on Miss Mia's face? Looks like Team 1 have its bad days coming – Oh AND WHAT FUCKING RIGHT I AM!"

Kim hit the ball straight up in front of Peter who shot the ball such that it grounded flying past the two players who were trying to block it.

The crowds cheered loudly as Team 2 went up a point.

"And with that we have the score 8-10 – now its Team 2 serving – Miss Mia is serving – and that was a perfect smash! Straight to the ground! TEAM 2 WINS!"

The crowds raised and clapped hard as the match ended. Whistles, cheers and hooting made way through the uproar as Mia approached Arthur.

"Words drained out of your mouth Frank?"

Arthur glared at her and then both of them laughed. So much this little match felt like the old days...

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"Moving on to the second match, much with the request of Mr. Ken Akechi here is Team 1 – our cold captain Kai, the quiet Tala, Kenny aka Chief, Mr. Gen, Mr. John and almost going to be thirty – Hiro!"

"You're almost going to die Max," Hilary chuckled. Max laughed and continued –

"And here is our Team 2 – Tyson the idiot, the beautiful June," he said in a dreamy voice flashing a grin at her, "the red head Daichi, Mr. Eric, Mr. Percy and the Tiger – Ray!"

The crowds cheered and clapped as the captains – Kai and June – shook hands.

"First aid kit's ready for you Hiwatari." She said gripping his hands tight.

"Bet you would be using it." He smirked at her.

"An Ice cream treat?"

"Can we begin the match if you two are done with glaring daggers into each other?" Max yelled from his seat.

Kai muttered to her – "Done."

"So after that lovely talk through eyes between both the captains, we are ready for the match – And here goes the ball –what a hit by Tala –what a save by Tyson – successfully blocked by Mr. Gen – and a hit by Mr. Percy – A perfect smashing hit by Hiwatari - Team 1 leads by 1 point!"

"Hiro serving – a very brilliant serve indeed – blocked by Ray – ball raised by Mr. Percy and a smashing smash by June – aimed straight at Kai's face – what an amazing girl she is – I always wanted to take her out on a date - But I still would take Mariam, don't want to fall in Hiro's clutches—Or Emily also wouldn't be a bad choice-"

"MAX TATE! Are you sitting here to consider dating options?!"

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"Good night love," Tyson winked at Hilary who smiled back as she made way to her won room which she was sharing with June.

It sometimes amazed Tyson that his 14 year old self could've never imagined that this girl - the 'wicked witch of eighth grade' – would one day be his girlfriend or this that spending even an hour without her will become a burden for him. When did he get so used to her presence, he himself never knew.

Hilary turned in the hallway towards her room. Suddenly, someone grabbed her from side and pulled her in the nearby room, muffling her voice and shutting the door. The room was dark and Hilary struggled hard to escape the clutches but stopped when the person spoke –

"It's me," Kai's voice - Cold, like always.

Releasing his grips, he stood in front of her, hands crossed, feet apart. The sun had just set, making the room without lights quite orange-ish and dark.

Annoyed at his behaviour and not wanting at all to talk to him, she made her way to the door, when he caught hold of her hand.

"Let me go," she said through gritted teeth.

"You are ignoring me." He half stated, half asked. And these words made a gush of anger rush through her veins. He tightened his grip.

"You are the one saying this?" She replied, not looking at him to hide the small tears formed. Her hand hurt. "After doing that for years?"

Kai pulled her closer, she was easy for him – "You very well know what was going on those years," he hissed close to her ears, her hand turning and twisting in his hand.

"Oh yes, I know very well. The Great Hiwatari mysteriously vanishes after the BEGA grounded, like every time, not a big deal right? The Great Hiwatari clutching the Title in the fourth Championships. The Great Hiwatari preparing himself to take over Hiwatari Enterprises, isn't?"

He pinned her to the wall, trapping her there.

"But I still loved you," She looked at him straight in the eyes through her teary ones, his still severe like always, still carrying the 'hunger' of getting everything which he wanted.

"And I didn't come back to see you in Tyson's arms."

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **|| Read, Review, Follow and Favourite ||**


	4. Chapter 4

**4**

 **Fears and Insecurities**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"Hilary? Open the door please," He knocked on the door hissing, "Open the damn door!"

Hilary swiftly opened the door. It was Hiro's voice and it was past midnight. She was getting a very bad feeling about this. "What happened?"

"Is June inside?" he asked, desperation clear in his voice.

"No. I thought she was sleeping in your room!"

"She definitely _was_ sleeping," he said in barely above a whisper and Hilary's eyes widened in realization.

"You asked Tyson?"

"Snoring like a pig." Hiro muttered dismissively.

"Idiot. Any idea where she could go?" Hilary asked concerned. "I mean... any other place she gets peace staying at..."

Hiro shook his head. This was not their house where he could search her in the cupboard under the stairs or in attic. "Either at the terrace," he said after thinking for a moment, "or in grandpa's room."

Hilary nodded in agreement but said suddenly, "You don't think she would go outside do you?"

"Can't say," he ran a frustrated hand through his hairs. "Check the terrace while I go to grandpa's room. Searching outside will be the last option."

She nodded and both hurried in different directions.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

The night had fallen, it was past midnight. He didn't know what the time was. Or how long had he been standing there.

Hilary was long gone from the room but her words still echoed in his ears, echoed around him, echoed in the whole room. He clasped his ears tightly to shut out her voice, but it grew on louder. He kicked the items, punched the walls, knocked the glass but his anger and fear had gotten the best of him. Desperate to shut out her voice from his head, he picked up a sharp glass piece and pierced his arm.

Blood spouted from within, but he kept piercing it, kept digging it...

 _"...I'm tired. Tired of all those tears I shed for you when you left to join the Blitzkrieg Boyz back in the third Championships. Tired of the pain you caused me by leaving to Russia after BEGA's downfall. Tired of the ignorance you gave me for the past 3 years. Tired of waiting for a ship in a desert..."_

He stabbed his arm again, his fierce red eyes fixed on that random spot, digging the wound deeper...and deeper... and deeper...

 _"...I know you had a lot upon your shoulders, but maybe, that all could've been easy if it had been 'us' instead of only an 'I' out there. So many mails, letters, messages and calls – couldn't you even bother to reply at least one of them? I had to dig into headlines to get news about you! And you still expect me to hold on?"_

He stabbed himself for the third time, determined to make more and more blood to flow out. Red. The colour he hated the most.

 _"...don't try to convince me again! I AM NOT A FUCKING BEYBLADING TROPHY WHICH YOU CAN COME AND CLAIM EVERY TIME!"_

And before he could deliver another stab on his arm to make it nearly unusable, someone grabbed it tightly. He looked up – his bloodshot angry eyes – at the slightly trembling figure holding his hand.

Standing there in a shirt two sizes bigger and casual pants was June – her eyes red and widened, tear stains on her cheeks and clear horror etched on her face.

"What the h-hell are you d-doing?" It wasn't her usual voice laced with fun and sarcasm, but he sensed...fear. But still she had a tight grip on his hand.

Her presence was of course no good to quiet down his anger. He got up, jerked his hand and shoved her to the ground, irritated by the fact that that she was afraid. Afraid of him! Her head lay beside his feet, her face ashen as she saw the pool of blood formed in front of her. Kai's blood. She clasped her mouth to prevent the gasp of fear as fresh tears flowed out her eyes. Kai had moved on to destroy each and every thing of the room. He was hitting himself, kicking the walls... she glanced at the door considering escaping from this nightmarish situation – to escape somewhere free from a vicious, blood-hungry Kai but then, she had known what she would meet inside. She stepped in despite knowing that. She looked at Kai then again at the door.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **"Just leave! I don't want you! I don't want anyone!"**

 **"Shut up moron! Out of the thousand and one ways to kill yourself, you picked t-this!"**

Hilary stopped dead in her tracks. These voices... strained, fearful, angry... Kai and June! It was them! She could bet a million dollar on that.

She hurried in the direction – the most unused place in the resort and as much as she hated to come here, she found herself standing in front of the same room where Kai had confronted her. From behind the door were the unmistakable voices of Kai and June and destruction, her throat tightened and tears pricked her eyes. Kai hadn't left this room since evening...

She quietly pushed the door open to peek inside. In the faint moonlight from outside, she saw the two figures struggling against each other. Kai slammed June to the wall; she caught his hand – though exhausted and afraid – trying to hold him back. Hilary gasped with fear as Kai pushed June back nearly punching her in the stomach. There were yells and shouts and blood and chaos all over when a hand landed on Hilary's shoulders. She opened her mouth to tell Hiro that they need to calm them down but he placed a finger on her lips and ushered her away.

"But Hiro," Hilary spoke once they were at a safe distance. "We need to help them – you saw his condition – they can get hurt-"

"Hilary..." Hiro began but Hilary cut him off. "You saw Kai! The way he pushed her to the wall! He'll do something to her—he'll do something to himself-"

"Listen Hilary..."

"Hiro, we need to be there." She turned to leave pulling him along, "We can't leave them both like that-"

"Hilary, Hilary, Hilary!" he said grabbing her by shoulders. "Take a deep breath and listen to me."

Hilary looked at the older Granger and took a deep breath calming her down. She nodded to him.

Hiro gave a faint smile and began – "Look, I want June to be there. Let her be there."

"What? You of all people are saying this Hiro?"

"Hilary, think about it from a different angle. You know what June's worst fear is?"

"Blood, screams and torture but this isn't the time we should be discussing this..." her voice trailed off as realisation dawned over her.

Hiro continued, "You know why she sleeps in my and Tyson's bedroom right? Because she gets nightmares. And you have seen her condition – how she runs off in the mid of sleep to coil in the cupboards. The way she cries at night, the way she turns nearly crazy because of them. Remember the incident at your house 2 years ago?"

Hilary nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "She tried to stab herself."

"Exactly. That was the day we came to know about her nightmares. There in that room, Kai is torturing himself and June is trying to calm him down. It's always she who needs comforting; it's always she who needs either her brothers or her best friend to escape these fears. But today," Hilary saw a lone tear coming out of Hiro's eye, "She's out there helping Kai despite being in a situation of her worst nightmare."

Hilary opened her mouth to say something but Hiro cut her off, "Look, I know it's risky. But this or the other day, she'll have to learn to face her fears because becoming fearless isn't the point. It's learning how to control your fears."

They stood in silence for a while as Hilary pondered over what Hiro said. The yells and screams had almost died down and Hilary was forced to think that either one of them passed out, or Kai finally got back to his senses. She looked up to Hiro – he was trying hard to mask his worry. Hilary placed a hand on his shoulder and as if like a mutual understanding, they both went to their rooms.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Hiro was sitting in the room, a book propped up on his lap but he had no interest in reading. His mind was in constant turmoil. Was he right in leaving June alone there? What if something happened to her? What will he explain to Dad? That he had left his daughter to learn how to control her fears? Sure she was only on the floor above his, but it felt like there was a mile between them.

There was a soft knock on the door. A very faint one. Very much like trembling hands somehow pushing themselves to do the task. He opened the door in the hopes of seeing his little sister but he only got a very brief glimpse of her shabby appearance. There was a little sob and his vision got partially obscured by a large mane of dark hairs – June had thrown herself onto him in a hug that nearly knocked him out.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

The lazy afternoon sun hovered in the sky as everyone sat in the dark hall, playing a movie on the projector. To be precise, it was a slideshow of photos of all the old days collected by Mr. James and organised in the slideshow by Kenny.

The room filled with laughter and happy memory recollections as photos scrolled by on the large screen. Photos of their Annual Sports day showing the older lot as children in white uniforms running in the marathon, swimming and playing volleyball. Photos of school functions where they saw the Octopus version of Professor Edward – especially to Tyson's delight – A round bear version of Mr. Dickinson and a monkey version of Mr. Arthur, towered by the hunter version of Grandpa Granger. Photos of college, photos of their visits to beaches and some photos of various wedding ceremonies.

In the midst of all the bliss were three figures related to what all happened last night. First was Kai, sitting outside on the sundeck, leaning against the wall watching the leaf shadows dancing in the sunlight. Second was June, sitting with her eyes closed as Miss Jennifer oiled her long black hairs. She said she missed doing it to her daughter. And third, Hilary. She knew it all started just because of her words. It was because of her that Kai's left arm was swathed in bandages today, nearly useless; and June had so many cuts and bruises on her body.

She wanted to talk to Kai, but didn't know what she should say. That she was sorry? That she was feeling pity for him? Better to stay quiet than to say these.

She stood near the French window overlooking the sundeck, debating whether to move on or not. Suddenly Tyson walked past her, their eyes met for a moment as his fingers briefly closed around her wrist. And that was her cue to move on. Sure she had told Tyson about what happened yesterday night.

"How's your arm?" The worst start of a conversation by Hilary Tachibana ever.

Kai didn't respond. She quietly sat there gazing at the trees. They sat like that for a long time, the awkward silence around them. Every time Hilary wanted to say something, she ended up deciding not to – that bandaged arm always discouraged her. After all, it was the result of her words. Among the ones knowing about the incident last night were she, Kai, Tala – to whom June called after to take care of Kai once he found his brain again, Tyson and Hiro – June as an exception as Hilary didn't feel it right to tell her about her earlier confrontation with Kai, now.

"I'm sorry..." She finally mumbled somehow and got up to leave, when Kai spoke, "Don't be."

"Huh?"

"I said," he opened his eyes and looked straight at her. "Don't be sorry. It wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have treated you like that. You know – paid a bit attention to how you felt..."

"But still," She broke her gaze away from him, "If I hadn't spoken like that to you..." She looked at his hand and then at June. Kai followed her gaze and sighed.

"We are alright." He said a low voice and added as an afterthought, "Besides, you should stop blaming yourself for every problem on earth."

Hilary looked at him and a smile immediately formed its way on her face. Perhaps, things weren't as bad as she imagined they would be. It was strange though, Kai speaking like this, but perhaps he realized that he should move on. Kai was usually stubborn to accept anything... She shrugged away the rest of thoughts. As far as everything was good, she was on talking terms with him, it was fine. Smiling, she moved inside but stopped to say something –

"By the way, I don't know how June calmed you down last night, but I think you should thank her."

And she went inside. Kai pretended that he hadn't listened, but he could feel an awkward gymnastics going on in his stomach. Tala had said that if he talked to Hilary nicely, acknowledged his mistake and tried to bridge the gap, everything will be alright. But even after saying everything to Hilary, he was still craving for that peace of mind which he somehow was not able to achieve. Yesterday night's emotional outburst... He was glad that not many people came in its vicinity. He remembered having one similar to this long back... he doesn't remember the exact time, but it was perhaps after the Black Dranzer incident at the Abbey. A flare-up of suppressed emotions... He very well knew Hilary was not the only reason for that.

And secondly, he was aware what happened last night. How he shoved June to the ground, how he slammed her in the wall, how he punched her in the stomach... and how she... He remembered that he was going crazy there, hearing Hilary's accusing voices all over the room – " _I AM NOT A FUCKING BEYBLADING TROPHY WHICH YOU CAN COME AND CLAIM EVERY TIME!", "Tired of waiting for a ship in a desert!", "I had to dig into headlines to get news about you! And you still expect me to hold on?"_

And then there was a "SMACK!"

She had slapped him.

That too hard.

Very hard indeed.

And he came back to his senses.

So if anyone thought he was going to thank a girl who had slapped him twice in the past ten days – in Tala's words "Headed for a new Guinness Record" – they are recommended to see a psychologist.

But still at night he found himself face to face with her on the terrace, an alcohol bottle dangling in his hand. He wanted to find some air, and seeing Granger there, his first impulse was to turn away and leave her sitting there on the railing feeding on ice cream.

"What happened Drunken-tari? Not finding your teddy bear to sleep with?"

She looked at him and he glared at her. Precisely the reason he hated her.

"Unless you're trying to prove that you have a better shade of purple in your eyes than mine; you can avert them from my beautiful face."

What he wouldn't give to close her mouth again. This was not what he came on the terrace after all. "Spoiled brat," he muttered as he sat down propping himself against the railing.

"Well, at least not ugly like you, insolent prat," She also slipped down to sit directly in front of him, again clad in Hiro's shirt – or probably Tyson's – paired with pajamas.

"Fuck off Granger," he said putting his bottle down. He at least had the decency to not to drink in front of a girl – or more specifically – a child.

"Eat slugs Hiwatari. Yes, yes, keep rolling your eyes," She said with her usual mocking tone, "Perhaps they will find a brain inside your head. By the way, this ice cream is for the deal we had in the volleyball match. And of course you don't deserve it and about that _thing_ ," She pointed at the alcohol bottle giving it a clear look of disgust, "I hate it as much as I hate you."

And she threw it down the terrace.

And Kai got the clue how much she hated him.

She devoured the last spoon of ice cream, not even the bothering about the cold weather. Who in their right minds would eat ice cream in the middle of a cold autumn night? Moreover, tonight was going to rain – at least according to the weather report and Kai was half sure that for the first time, weather reports were going to be true. Kai soon closed his eyes and sat there in silence, almost merging with the background and like a mutual agreement, she too stayed quiet.

"Hiwatari," she spoke in slow soft voice after 10 minutes, "Why do people drink?"

Now this was news. First genuine, sensible thing she had asked him without a speck of insult since the time they met. Kai opened his eyes to look at her – she was done with her ice-cream and was looking up the sky, her long black hairs hanging down her back.

"To ease their pain and tension."

He replied and she nodded as if understanding. He retreated back to his position and slowly and steadily, he felt a throbbing pain in his head. Effect of drinking alcohol maybe – he concluded and shook his head, trying to divert his attention. She was quiet today. Maybe... still afraid of him... he couldn't help it but this thought automatically found its way in his head. He still remembered what her state was yesterday. However he was surprised that she didn't ask him what and why was he what he was yesterday. Maybe she got to know through Hilary...

His pain was growing bit by bit, he needed to lie down. But he didn't want to leave this place, it was cold but it made him feel good. Suddenly, June stood up, gazing at the sky.

"Come with me," she pulled him by his good arm, "And don't dare to refuse, I swear you on the name of your unborn kids."

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

A/N: The next update is gonna take ages and I'm so sorry for that, but I have my reasons. Other than that, Read, review, follow, favorite!


	5. Chapter 5

**5**

 **There's no Blitzkreig boyz**

 **Note:** **Italics are scenes from flashbacks written in Second person POV (Well, it did feel like ages since I wrote in Second POV... when was the last time? Yes, 'Love Diaries' which was last year... huh!) And very sorry for vanishing off the face of earth with this story.**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

They ceased laughing, looked dumbly at each other's face and sprinted off towards the back door. The lights began turning on and they increased their speed. They entered and turned on the corner behind the staircases. Pulling June beside him, Kai ushered her inside a rather safe and unused room and following soon after, he closed the door.

They stood gasping for breath; June looked at Kai and burst out in laughter. His first instance was to threaten her to shut her mouth lest they be caught, but he let it go. June literally stumbled down laughing; Kai also sat down with a knowing smirk, his back against the door – the events of the past hour still bouncing up and down in his head.

 _"Come with me," she pulled you by your good arm, "And don't dare to refuse, I swear you on the name of your unborn kids."_

 _So you got up half-heartedly and anyways, it looked like it could rain – the slow cold autumn rain – and you didn't fancy getting drenched. You guys went down, she handed you a rain coat, grabbed one for herself and headed out. You got a very good feeling that this isn't going to be good. Yet you found yourself following her out, even if you could almost swear you didn't want to. Your feeling was right; it had started to rain – the kind which doesn't stop easily._

 _She asked for your scarf; you gave it to her. Once again, even if you could almost swear you didn't want to. She stepped out and let your scarf go away with the wind._

 _"That was mine." You said in a calm threatening tone, grabbing her by arm._

 _"Why did you have it on in the first place at midnight if you care about it so much?" she retorted back and you could feel the amusement in her voice even though. "So Hiwatari," she spoke removing your grip from her, which you complied, "Let's see who gets that cloth first. And interestingly, you don't have a choice because if I get it, I swear I'll shred it down to pieces. I've heard you have that scarf since a long time. Is that why it smelt that bad?"_

 _And you'd have broken her nose if she hadn't ducked down in time._

 _The wind wasn't strong, but it sure was raining outside. You knew the scarf wouldn't fly off much far and most probably end up being caught in the branch of one of the trees surrounding this resort. Rain had intensified and it would be complete foolishness to step out in it just for a mere scarf when you could buy a hundred anytime, but then her malicious voice came ringing down to you –_

 _"You don't have the whole night sweetheart!"_

 _You glared her straight in the eyes and despite a sudden sharp pain in your head, the next moment, you both were out in the rain, splashing and racing in the muddy pools. Yet again, you could almost swear you didn't want to._

 _Amidst the cool haze of October rain, the fine mist that freezes on contact with exposed skin, you guys ran letting your muscles do the work. You knew it was utter foolishness, and you considered moving back, but how can Kai Hiwatari accept defeat? This mere thought made the pain in your head seem lighter._

 _You were accustomed to the elements, wind and chill, and so you began enjoying it mildly. There were puddles of water everywhere which you tried your best to avoid, and she tried her best to step into. She deliberately jumped and splashed the water from the one in front of you and your face smeared with muddy water. Her tinkling laughter fell in your ears and the next moment you pushed her into the puddle beside. She fell with a loud splash and you were half drenched again. You sprinted ahead; she frowned and sat there not moving. You were actually a few yards ahead of her but you sighed and returned to check what's wrong. And you actually missed seeing her pulling you down. You too fell in the muddy puddle._

 _Unfortunately, two can play this game. So you got up, an evil grin on your face. Forget the scarf; your new target was Granger. You charged towards her._

 _"That's not fair! I'm not the scarf, that thing is!"_

 _Your head ache was gone completely you realised. Though she wasn't the scarf, the fact that she pushed you in the puddle was enough reason for you to soak her in mud again. The wind cut through you like a knife, but you didn't care. You were gleeful; and even happy perhaps._

 _You guys ran, you guys fought, you guys pulled and pushed each other, you guys even fell down; but you never stopped. It was fun - running in a curtain of water, feet splashing in puddles, slipping on the wet surfaces again and again._

 _Finally tired, and losing the scarf deliberately to her, you both just laid down on the green grass – the cool yet warm droplets enveloping you. Even in this chilly, bone-freezing weather, you felt warmth running through your veins._

 _And then, just like the end of a soap opera, a third voice spoke over from one of the windows of the resort yards away –_

 _"Who's there trespassing my property!? I'm calling the police! TRESPASSERS! TRESPASSERS!"_

 _The grumpy manager of the resort began shouting. You guys ceased laughing, looked dumbly at each other's face and sprinted off towards the back door. The lights began turning on and you two increased your speed. You both entered and turned on the corner behind the staircases. Pulling her beside you, you ushered her inside a rather safe and unused room and following soon after, you closed the door._

He broke out of his thoughts as he felt a weight upon his shoulders. June's head lay on him; she was almost asleep but Kai tried to shake her by shoulder and she jerked awake, shifting away muttering an apology. He hadn't noticed when she ceased laughing.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"I've had enough. Shall we go to the hospital, Hiro?" Mr. Dickinson said getting up from the breakfast table, barely anything eaten from his plate. Hiro nodded and followed him out.

"Whoa Stan, what happened? Drank way too much last night?" Mr. Arthur Frank called out jokingly but others did look genuinely concerned. No one exactly knew what exactly was wrong with their Stan.

"Shut up Frank. But seriously, what happened to him?" Miss Mia asked as the young lot looked uncertainly to each other. But Tala spoke as confident and calm as ever –

"Just mild fever yesterday night."

That covered it up and no one asked anything further. The topic soon changed and after finishing, everyone began getting up one by one. But as Grandpa Ryu Granger got up from his chair –

"In my whole career, I never knew that lost appetite, trouble sleeping at night and muscle cramps were equal to mild fever. Not to mention nausea."

He turned wide-eyed to the person sitting next to him – Katie Russell. Her eyes were focused on her plate but he very well knew this tone of hers. And then it struck to him. _Career..._ How in the world did he forget that Katie was a _doctor_? No doubt she must have noticed something wrong about Stanley Dickinson however hard they tried.

Taking a deep breath, he pretended not to have heard anything and shuffled away.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"So what is going to be the theme of our party?"

"-And the dress code."

"And the food menu."

Tala, Hilary and Tyson spoke as others began to ponder. They – along with most others – were in the main hall preparing for the party to be held on next Friday – 30th October – 7 days from now. Everyone – the old gang particularly – was to return on 2nd November, and Hilary was still fussing on why they should've started this planning earlier.

"What about advances in computer technology over the decades?" Kenny spoke up and was met with the reply of "This is not a tech conference Chief!" by almost everyone.

"What about a Halloween themed Party?" Ray said and others looked at him questioningly. He shifted a bit nervously. A very childish idea it was – clearly evident from the glares by Kai and Tala. But interestingly, not everyone thought so and soon there were murmurs of agreement.

Hilary suggested, "What say guys? Let's have the party on Halloween itself that's 31st October. It will also give us one more day to prepare. Besides invitations aren't out yet, so we can."

It was agreed and soon they landed on making the guest list. It was quite evident that all the beyblading teams will surely come along with some family of the old lot and some acquaintances like Mr. Ken Akechi. Ray and Kenny took to designing the virtual invitation cards.

"Are you guys inviting that vampire-captained team?" June asked looking at the list, leaving her own work of finishing some presentations given to her by Hiro. The eldest Granger sibling was now next in charge after Mr. Dickinson and had a lot of work considering that preliminary rounds of the next tournament were to start soon coupled with launch of many new products. June often helped him by sharing the office work and Tyson by handling most of the phone-calls. Being the head of Training centre of BBA didn't give him much edge when it came to drafting and making reports and presentations. After all, Tyson was never an office guy. So fresh out of school, he joined BBA as a part-time trainer, of course doing his college side by side. His talent was not a secret, so he was eventually made the head Trainer. A good job for an 18 year old lad and Hiro was 99 percent sure that Tyson would soon drop out of the college. As for June, even Kai registered his astonishment that she actually does something seriously when he saw the accurate presentations made by her.

"Do you mean the Dark Bladers?" Max asked.

June shrugged. "Yeah... Something on those lines. It's Halloween and they will be the show-stoppers!"

"Firstly, this is not a Fashion Show my tremendously annoying sister," Tyson said as June made a face at him, "and second, I highly doubt that they will come."

"Exactly. No one will come if an unwanted-weight-on-earth like you would invite them." She snapped back.

"At least better than messy-haired witch like you, June Granger." Tyson retorted and all the others sighed and returned back to their work. No one was in the mood to watch yet another brother-sister fight.

"A messy-haired witch is far better than a filthy ferret-face."

"Slimy worm."

"Despicable cockroach."

"Dumb rabbit!

"Cawing Crow!"

"Obese Buffalo!"

"Scrawny Owl!"

"Shut up both of you!" Hilary finally intervened, fed up of the useless argument. "June, do your work and Tyson, invitation will be sent to the Dark Bladers whoever in the world they are. Any objections?"

"Now now Hilary," Tyson said sitting beside her as he made a face at June who stuck her tongue out to him and went to her laptop again. Pissing off Hilary was injurious to health.

Tyson continued - "I agree wholeheartedly with you dear. How can I argue with you after all? Arguments lead to fights and fights can always lead to breakups and if we ever broke-up, ever thought what would happen to Hyson and Tilary?" He tried putting an arm around her but she got up from the sofa.

"But listen to me-"

"No," Hilary replied and went and sat on a chair beside the table, noting down e-mail addresses on a notebook.

"Ah leave it Tyson," Mr. Andrew said as if stating the most obvious thing in the world, "Ladies somehow enjoy troubling their partners." And he and Tyson laughed at that, Tyson nodding in agreement.

"What do you mean Andrew?" Mr. Andrew looked at the source of the voice – his wife Isabella was watching him through narrowed eyes. The main hall was actually filled with half of the group – youngsters and oldies both – who sniggered at the comment.

Mr. Andrew's smile vanished and he hastily changed the topic – "N-nothing. Who's Hyson and Tilary by the way Tyson?"

Tyson's chest swelled with pride as he answered – "Me and Hilary's future children!"

And a whole round of laughter went across the room. Ray fell off his chair, Max stumbled down on all his fours and Grandpa Granger choked on the milk he was drinking. "I'm never gonna name my great-grandchildren that!"

"Why?" Tyson's jaw dropped. "They are great names! Hilary!" He turned towards her, "Don't you think they are the best names for our kids?"

But Hilary, flushed redder than a tomato, smacked him with her notebook and rushed out of the room, flooding in embarrassment.

"Hey Hilary!" But she was gone and Tyson just smiled in amusement.

"Oh by the way," Kenny said interrupting the sniggers and little laughs, "Do you have Bryan and Spencer's e-mails Kai? We need them to send-"

"Cancel the party rather than inviting them." Kai snapped in middle of his words in a bone curdling tone and Kenny didn't dare ask any further. If any confusion ever occurred in his brain, they were blocked away instantly. Turning to Tala seemed a much better option.

"Umm Tala..." he faltered as Tala looked at him with a certain amount of fierceness in his eyes, that Kenny felt he did a wrong thing.

"You heard Kai." He said in a dead calm voice.

"But all the teams have to be invited and Blitzkrieg Boyz..."

Tala cackled roughly, "There's no Blitzkrieg Boyz anymore dude."

And another round of laughter from the crowd assembled, over some joke of Ray, acted as a perfect blanket to cover the tension created.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**


	6. Chapter 6

**6**

 **What. The. Hell.**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"I believe the manager of the resort... Yes, yes that old man – Mr. Sugimura... Yes we need them on Saturday morning... Ice-creams?" He turned to Hilary pointing at the list. "Just hold for sec... yeah thank you," Ray lowered his phone and addressed Hilary, "Why do we need Ice-creams?"

Hilary kept her pen down and spoke – "Because with a certain group of Ice-cream fans here, I am 101 percent sure there will be an acute shortage of it down in the stores. And without Ice-creams, people are going to kill me in the party."

Ray sighed helplessly. He very well knew who included in the 'certain group' and the food staff had also complained twice about these vanishing delicacies. "Fine, I'll see what I can do about it, though I know that this Manager will never agree to have anymore Ice-creams bought."

They had to be double sure of everything in advance. The reply to their invitations had been really fast – much faster than they predicted. Perhaps everyone just wanted another excuse for coming together after so long.

Hilary now just needed someone to go and select the lightings. How she missed Tokyo! There was only one shop for that here in the nearby hillside town and they needed to go down there personally. Hilary would've been glad to go but it had to be done this afternoon and it was practically impossible for her to go today.

Ray was busy, Max was busy, Tyson was busy... No, she won't send the boys – their choices in lighting arrangements were a blunder. Someone from the old lot was out of question. Tala was an option... but just then she saw him hurrying across the hall. He was also busy. Daichi and Kenny didn't even exist on the list. So the one left is...

"June!"

The Granger girl just came down from the stairs, her hair as messy as ever. "Yeah Hil?"

"Can you just go to the shop and select the lightings?" Hilary asked, only half sure that June will agree. There was no chance that June would go out with thousands of presentations waiting for her upstairs as Hiro had too plunged in the efforts, not to mention that Kenny had crashed his hard disk whose effects again landed on June.

"Sorry Hil, but brothers are busy and I'm not allowed to go out by myself." She replied.

"Please June. I myself would've gone but I'm really busy and..." She trailed down as Hiro appeared, carrying a big box in his hands.

"Sorry Hilary, but really, I won't allow her," he said and June smiled triumphantly to a frowning Hilary. She had been glued to her laptop since the morning as – first, the BBA work and second – Krazy Kenny crashed his hard disk and she was given the charge of keeping track of all the expenses – which meant literally tailing down every activity going on – and handling online transactions. Also, replying questions coming from all the bladders like –

 _"_ _Why are you guys partying in a forest? You could've asked us for more Euros Blade-breakers."_

And after replying –

" _Too bad we don't go asking around beggars and your absence won't be a least concern. You're free to not come, Mr. You-could've-asked-us-for-more-Euros-Bladebreakers."_

She had made it a point to seriously drop wine on this Robert guy whoever he was.

So after a whole day of work now when it was nearly evening, she wanted to read the 1897 novel "Dracula" sent by the Dark Bladers as a Thank You gift to everyone for inviting them. She had been jumping in excitement when it was delivered by a bat very early in the morning and as obvious, Hilary's task was going to take ages to do which will leave no time for reading.

So long story short – June Granger did not want to go to the town.

And as luck would have it, Hilary's gaze fell upon a certain person. "Hey Kai! Where are you going?"

Kai was descending the stairs in formal attire and Hilary's voice made him stop in his track. He answered in a quiet voice, "Town for some important business." He paused. "Your orders have been placed." He said referring to the earlier work given to him by her and turned to leave when the bomb dropped –

"Great. Can you take June to the town too? She has to finalise the lighting arrangements." asked Hilary.

June turned sharply at Hilary and opened her mouth to say something when Hilary shut her up – "Please Kai, it really is important."

Kai considered for a moment, all the while glaring June and she glaring him back, but then shrugged and nodded.

Sparks flew in June's eyes.

"Perfect! And Hiro, I guess Kai being with her would rule out your objection? Trust me you can trust this Russian without any concern."

Kai actually looked at Hilary a bit surprised but quickly hid it under his mask. After whatever happened between them, he didn't expect all the friendliness so soon. But then, this is Hilary. Perhaps he can also try to actually forget all the history between them...

"As much as I hate to send June without me or Tyson, make sure that you don't leave her side even for a second." Hiro said directly to Kai in a rather put out tone which brought him to the real world. "For she is too hyper to be controlled." He added as an after-thought, but Kai felt this as a cover for something. What exactly, he didn't know and Hiro went away, followed by a satisfied Hilary.

June glared at him with a pure look of annoyance. He shrugged -

"Just go and comb your hair Granger."

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

June made Kai wait for a whole of 20 minutes – Kai knew she was doing this on purpose because she very well knew he was in a hurry. He would've been glad to leave her back but then... he had agreed to Hilary.

He sat on the bike, being 19 really had its perks, and June scowled before sitting behind him.

"Why is it that your face always spoils my day?" she asked and Kai grunted before kicking the motorbike start.

He received a slap on the first day he met her. Followed by a bus ride where half of the way she was mocking him. Then he had a drenched face. Then a volleyball match where her every shot was aimed at breaking his nose. Then another slap when he turned wild. Then he had to endure 2 hours of being soaked from head to toe on that rainy night. And finally a cold in the morning. Not to mention the shirt she spilled soup on, just yesterday.

Considering all that, can we have votes for who exactly deserved to say 'Why is it that your face always spoils my day?'

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

They reached 'The Lightman's Bliss' – the shop from where they had to order the lighting decorations – after a ride of about 30 minutes. Situated in the town circle, its appearance was modest and classic and just entering the shop gave a very warm feeling of being home.

Kai left June there to go to a small pub 20 minutes walk from there after hearing a lots of _'Brother will feed you to hounds after hearing how you abandoned me'_ coupled with her remarks of him being ... Well, that _is_ a big list and remembering it would be the last thing he would do on Earth.

Thankfully, this pub was nearly empty except for a hooded middle-aged man occupying a corner and a group of three teenagers who were busy with some sort of comic book. He chose the other corner and after ordering a coffee, opened his laptop. He was to join an important meeting of the Hiwatari Corporation through video conferencing.

He wasn't technically the head, but since a soon-to-be, he shared half of the responsibilities already. According to his "Grandfather" Voltaire's terms, it was mandatory for him to at least have a Bachelor's degree in Business to inherit the company. To be honest, he didn't even want a piece of dirt from that business but he still agreed to the terms, agreed to inherit the company, was attending a University - all because of...

Okay, stories for another time.

The meeting ended in an hour, and he was left debating whether or not should he go to June in 'The Lightman's Bliss'. After sipping coffee for another half an hour and seeing it was going get dark soon, he exited the pub.

As he walked down the path to the shop, he felt hard footsteps following him. He vaguely remembered the middle-aged hooded man in the pub wearing leather boots. He didn't look back in case to alarm the man following him, but continued moving in randomly wrong directions. Soon the footsteps died and he felt it safe to go to the shop.

Doubts still wriggling in his brain, he opened the door and came face to face with June feeding porridge to a toddler who was running away to not to eat – the whole shop filled with their laughter.

"Hiwatari," she said in a plain dark tone dropping her laughter.

"Granger," he acknowledged.

"So it seems you finally remembered that you left an innocent little girl all alone in the middle of the town. Anyways, pleasure to see you again Old Gray hair."

"Hn." _Innocent little girl?_ The understatement of the century.

In 10 minutes, they were out and on the motorbike to their way back to the resort. It was twilight and the cold autumn breeze ruffled their hairs.

They were halfway down the way surrounded by woods – passing a crossroad just a minute back when Kai's attention was attracted by a black car taking a sharp turn and following them. Another car – perhaps a dark red – appeared ahead, driving straight towards them. A man emerged from one of the windows and pointed a gun at them.

June gasped and grabbed his shoulders.

They were being attacked.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Kai's mind raced through the potential solutions as the cars neared. He slowed the bike and controlling the two-wheeler with one hand, took June's hand in the other. He squeezed her hand a little, enough to give her the clue as to what they had to do. And the next moment, they jumped down leaving the unmanned bike to slide away.

Several gunshots flew as they tumbled down the road, pain soaring through their legs. Kai got up with a grunt and sprinted in the woods, dragging the Granger with him. He could hear the cars stopping at the edge and the men filing out of the vehicles to hunt for them.

They were just metres away from their hunters. He grabbed her arm tighter and ran, his only aid being the slippery floor dampened with the occasional rains and the thick tree trunks which at least shielded them from the bullets flying. It was dark and aiming here without a shooter's eye was utter foolishness.

Still bullets flew all over the place and pacing feet echoed in his ears. He couldn't run his entire life, he had to do something and that was when the hell happened.

A bullet whizzed past his leg.

Pain cut through him like a knife and the next moment they were surrounded by at least a dozen men, half of them armed and in quick reaction, before Kai could do anything, they pulled June apart and beat him down on his knees.

He faintly heard June's scream as they pulled off her pea coat. A hard blow on the back and he fell on the floor, his eyes fluttered as he saw a man slowly pushing a knife in her abdomen and dragging her further in the forest. And in a split second, thousands of thoughts rushed through his brain as what could potentially happen to June Granger.

One of the attackers grabbed him by collar and pulled him up as Kai took a sharp intake of breath and punched him straight in the face. The man – taken aback by the attack – toppled down and Kai snatched his gun, turned around swiftly and shot at the slightly bent man across him. Thrashing, shooting and ducking out from the shots, he somehow ran his way out and successfully misled their way when they tried to follow him. But he knew it wasn't a permanent solution.

He dashed in the direction where he last saw June, hoping against hope that he doesn't find her bare-bodied, although his leg didn't want to co-operate at all.

And then something happened. Something unusual.

A strong flash of blue light some distance away which nearly blinded him followed by screams. As the light died down just after a second, he rushed to the source. He saw some 5 men lying motionless on the floor and June – her clothes bearing all types of marks of being tried to rip apart – tying a ragged cloth piece over her left eye, blue sparks spiralling around her.

"You all right?" He asked.

"Do you seriously have time for asking these fucking nonsensical questions Hiwatari?" She muttered which Kai took as a yes.

"There! There they are!"

They heard a faint sound in the background along with a gunshot as they ran with the highest speed they could muster in their state. The attackers who Kai had defected were in close vicinity. June clutched Kai's arm, as her vision was becoming blur with each passing second.

Bullet sounds rung in their ears as they ran haphazardly when Kai sighted the road they had left. Then attackers were just yards away from them, when Kai and June reached the road, dashed in the black car and luckily finding the key in there drove off.

They had heaved a sigh of relief when gun shots again echoed in the air and Kai saw them following behind. He sped up the car and took a sharp turn ahead.

"Move right!" June said over the panic surrounding them.

"What?"

"TURN RIGHT HIWATARI! TURN RIGHT!"

And almost as a reflex, he turned the vehicle right so sharply, that June's head banged on the dashboard and something probably poked her eye as she cursed loudly.

After a minute of driving furiously fast, Kai looked behind. The attackers had stopped at the turning and one of them cursing loudly behind them and trying vain attempts to shoot.

Once they were out of their vicinity, June asked him to stop. He complied after making it double sure that they were safe.

She removed the cloth piece she had tied, to reveal a very bloody eye. She bit her lip to prevent shouting in pain. Her right eye was no good, as foggy and blurry as a cataract one. It was a miracle she was able to make out the bright streetlight back at the turning.

Kai looked at her blood smeared face. He had guessed there was something wrong with her eyes the moment she had grabbed his hand while running. It was good she wasn't able to see her blood.

"Do you reckon we could find some water in here?" But Kai had already started to look for a water bottle before she said. He himself had deep cuts and bruises and a nearly shot leg, but the sight of her blood covered eyes were more terrifying. Seeing her blind is the last thing he wanted presently because he didn't fancy getting beaten up by her extra-protective brothers.

She took the water bottle and moved out of the car. At this point, her vision was next to nil. Kai offered to help her.

"Forget it Hiwatari." She muttered and slammed the car door behind her and he didn't stress it much. His own leg was pretty badly injured. He doubted if he would be able to walk without limping.

Kai waited patiently for her to return. He could almost form an image of her shivering at the sight of her own blood. But his head screamed with many other mysteries like who were the attackers and why did they attack.

June returned with all the blood washed out of her face and sat facing outside quietly. He started the car not trying to think how she would've controlled herself from shouting out.

For God knows what reason, there were surveillance cameras all along the road. Kai assumed this to be the reason for the attackers to not follow them. He didn't know this route and the street lights too flickered low as they moved ahead but June knew this way saying she had been here before once on holiday last year.

They didn't talk much on the way, June suddenly all quiet and Kai's mind racing frantically as to who the attackers had been and why they were behind them.

"I heard them one of them v-very vaguely," She said all of a sudden, her voice wavering. "O-one of those filthy pests was saying over the phone and I caught only two words out of that insufferable skunk's mouth. Something like _found..._ and _...abbey._ "

The car halted suddenly.

"What-" she stopped in mid-sentence as Kai grabbed her by shoulders and bellowed in her ears –

"Abbey? YOU SURE YOU HEARD ABBEY?!"

"YES YOU DAFT!" she jerked and tried removing his hands from her, "AND THERE WAS NO NEED FOR YOU TO SHOUT LIKE A BANSHEE!"

He left her but stared in disbelief at her _steel silver eyes_ which once _had been deep purple_.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **|| Read, Review, Follow, Favourite ||**


	7. Chapter 7

**7**

 **Curse you.**

 **Note: Bold italics are telepathic conversations.**

Everyone rushed out in a jiffy hearing the car horn. The past few hours had been pathetic with police finding Kai and June's phone in the forest along with guns and coats but the two idiots nowhere to be found. Hiro could admit he was close to a heart attack.

So when he saw June in the moonlight with her clothes nearly torn and very injured Kai, he hugged them both so tightly as if leaving them would collapse his whole world. Kai shifted uncomfortably at that, caught by surprise actually.

Almost everyone was awake awaiting their return. They were taken inside to their own rooms and given the first aid – Miss Katie attending to Kai's leg and wounds and Hiro to June. After making it sure that the two were okay, everyone had dinner and retired to sleep.

Kai was in his room – he was one of the few people who weren't sharing room with anyone – sitting wide awake on his bed. It was midnight and he didn't feel like sleeping. He talked to Tala, telling him what June said she heard. Tala was equally surprised as Boris was indeed locked up in jail. But for some reason, he felt that the word 'abbey' surely referred to Balkov Abbey... because exactly how many more abbeys in the world were behind them?

 _"_ _...I guess Kai being with her would rule out your objection? Trust me you can trust this Russian without any concern."_

Ha! And he almost landed June in a situation where she could have been raped.

The door creaked open; and Kai didn't care an ounce as he possibly knew who would be there. Tala again.

The red-head stood near the door, debating whether to speak or not. He was sure Kai won't take it easy but then, he did feel he should tell him. After all, Tala was not the one to keep secrets from Kai.

"I don't want to hear anything," Kai spoke, sensing it had to be bad as Tala had taken up more than 5 minutes.

"You need to," Tala replied, finally leaning against the wall. "One of your attackers has been caught."

Kai's ears perked up. Tala continued, "We were called to the police station and he did confirm his allegiance to the abbey – or specifically, Boris Balkov. Someone shot him before he could be questioned further."

"Not a surprise at all." Kai emotionlessly said. Traitors were not acceptable in Boris's regime.

"Actually the surprise is that these pieces of scum are active and there is still 4 years for Boris and your Grandfather-"

"Never take my and his name in the same sentence. Ever." Kai interrupted threateningly and in the brief second when their eyes met, Tala saw the strong hatred pass through them as he finished –

"– and your Grandfather also known as Voltaire, to come out of jail."

Kai glared at him; sometimes he really hated Tala's guts.

"On a happier note," Tala said moving out of the room in a rather put out tone for something which was supposed to be happy, "Spencer called and Daichi picked up. You can guess the rest." And the door closed behind him.

Kai cursed under his breath. Daichi would've given every bit of description to Spencer on a single threat. The last thing Kai wanted now was pity calls from someone as low as him and Bryan.

 ** _'_** ** _Oh come on Triangles, they were your friends at one point.'_**

He nearly jumped out of his skin. He swore he heard a voice almost as if it was in his head, but it can't be true. Why would he hear Granger's voice in his head?

 ** _'_** ** _You really think about me by my last name? Interesting.'_**

He actually felt the evil amusement in her voice. She was able to read all his thoughts! But he still refused to believe it all. How in the world would she enter his brain?

 ** _'_** ** _Honestly Hiwatari, even a toddler would have guessed by now that I'm a Psychic. And what we – actually I – am doing is called Telepathy in case you don't know. Why didn't you die by the way?'_**

He remembered the flash of strong blue light, the scream, the faint sparks which spiralled her when he reached... and immediately, it all made sense. Sense as to what had happened there at that moment. His head spun; it all felt like the stories of children comics coming true and the only thing which Kai could think was -

 ** _'_** ** _Out of my brain!'_**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

The news that Granger – June Granger – is a Psychic was more than enough to wander off Kai's brain from the issue of the sudden attack from the Abbey minions. He confronted the thing with Kenny – because from the scientific point of view, it was all absurd. He doubted the existence of this strange power but what he experienced last night was surely not a dream. And a threat was enough to make Kenny spit out all he knew about Psychics.

Apparently, the whole Granger clan knew about her powers – facility extending to Hilary and Kenny. The Chief had – initially – doubted it himself and researched it through. But not finding sound proof and still having to confront with June's existence and powers, he had to accept that there were some strange phenomena in this world, unexplained by science.

Kai hated her. Absolutely hated her.

Exactly how many times would she have entered his head by now without his knowing?

So when it was decided that everyone was going shopping today – 30th October – Kai declined. Clearly declined. And once again, he hated Tala's guts.

"I'll clearly disown you as my friend if you went to the party in anything other than something Halloween themed." He had said.

Kai gave him the most disgusting look ever because Tala was basically asking him to wrap bandages and be a mummy, and though very well convinced that it was all a futile exercise, he was dragged in this shop.

Friends are the weirdest creatures in this world.

Taking to examining shirts to pass time, he picked a dark brown shirt and held it in front of the mirror. It had been ages since he shopped for clothes. It was right, a perfect fit.

 ** _"_** ** _Honestly Hiwatari? That shirt? Even Daichi Sumeragi has better choice than you."_**

He looked around and saw June standing miles away in the other corner but in the mirror front of her, she was easily able to see his reflection. He sighed. The magic of mirror reflections...

He took a deep breath and put the shirt down. Just empty your head... empty your head...

 ** _"_** ** _And don't even think of that light green one, you'll look like a dried caterpillar."_**

He noticed he indeed was going to pick a light green shirt and he stopped his hand. He ignored her for sometime thinking she would go away, but being Tyson's sister, she was stubborn. Too stubborn indeed. At last, Kai became frustrated to the point where he began holding up random shirts in front of the mirror. June began mimicking him and soon started a Telepathic battle. She insulted his choices, he insulted hers.

 ** _"_** ** _NO, NO, NOT THAT ONE! People would puke on you!"_**

 ** _"_** ** _Bad choice Granger."_**

 ** _"_** ** _This is not even remotely good and what for do you need a checked shirt?"_**

 ** _"_** ** _Worse."_**

 ** _"_** ** _Why didn't I turn blind before seeing you with that stinking piece of blue cloth?"_**

 ** _"_** ** _That one's worst."_**

 ** _"_** ** _Put that one down, it lowers the fashion sense of the whole street."_**

 ** _"_** ** _Another level below worst."_**

 ** _"_** ** _Oh my God, that took my heart away."_**

Kai stopped. He had a deep red shirt in his hands and June winked at it from afar. He smirked and shoved 'the shirt which took her heart' back.

 ** _"_** ** _Oi!"_**

 ** _"_** ** _No one tells me what to do."_**

And with that Kai picked a plain black shirt and moved to the other side to pick up a cape or something sort of a cloak.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"Enough of this game Stan!" Miss Katie nearly shouted at Stanley Dickinson, her cheeks flushed from the effort.

Everyone was out in the town shopping for tomorrow's party while Mr. Dickinson decided to stay behind due to excessive tiredness. Some of the others like Grandpa Granger, Mr. Eric, Miss Jennifer and Miss Katie Russell too stayed back.

"You're taking Narcotics..." She held up the Mr. Dickinson's medication slip, "Just because I'm a surgeon doesn't mean I wouldn't know what the symptoms of liver cancer are! You've been hiding this truth from all of us!"

Tears brimmed in her eyes as Mr. Dickinson felt at a loss of words. He definitely didn't mean this thing to come out this way.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Kai moved to pay for his purchases after fifteen minutes, when he saw Hilary. She had a lot of dresses in her hands. Perhaps she wasn't dressing up something special. Poor Tyson.

Then there was Max. According to the things he brought, he was going to dress up as... _Marshmallow!?_ Kai sighed. Who exactly suggested they come to this 'Be anything you want!' shop?

"Got everything?" Ray piped up from behind.

Kai gave him a nod and Ray smiled in return. As the Chinese got busy with a phone call – definitely Mariah's – Kai's eyes again wandered to Hilary. Somehow, he regretted what he did to her.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"You don't understand Katie! I'm almost on the last stage. My body cannot handle radiotherapy and the heavy medications; I just rely on narcotics to ease the pain. It's the end. The end to my life!" Mr. Dickinson said with desperation.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Ray took to driving as everyone decided it was time to head back to their resort. A whole day shopping and eating in the market place was fun and refreshing! Besides, this town was endearing to everyone's heart. 20 minutes after they started, Ray took an anonymous turn.

"Ray, this way is not-"

"It's okay Hilary," Hiro said, a strange seriousness in his voice. "I asked him to drive this way."

Kai noticed that Hilary wanted to ask him the reason but decided against it. And after a few minutes, it became clear why. It was almost twilight and they stopped in front of a graveyard. Without a word, the old lot scrambled out one by one. They knew who resided here.

"I wish Ryu had been here." Miss Mia said in almost a whisper, "Atora would've been glad."

"Grandpa came here in the morning with Hilary and Ray and grandma Atora would be equally happy to see you all," June stated. Miss Mia smiled at her and moved out followed by Mr. Arthur. Hiro took a deep breath and stood up. Tyson didn't. Hilary nudged him but he didn't.

"Get up Tyson." June said crossing her arms over her chest. Tyson just ignored. Hilary and Hiro too asked him to come out, but he refused bluntly. And lastly, June exploded –

"Tyson Granger, that's your mother and grandmother's grave for God's sake!"

"Exactly," Tyson said, "That's _my_ grandmother and _my_ mother, not yours-"

"Tyson!" Hiro and Hilary shouted at once glaring at him. Tyson fell quiet. For the first time – Kai noticed – she had no retort to throw back. Her head hung low, she went out, shortly followed by Hiro and the others.

Tyson had seen the last breaths of his mother. He had seen her clinging to him, trying to caress his cheek... he had seen her die. Even after all this time, he was not able to work up his guts to visit her grave.

The whole bus was empty. Tyson watched as the sun lowered in the sky merging with the crimson background everywhere else. Running a hand through his hairs, he jumped out towards his family.

"So finally someone decided to obey his elder sister for once." June teased as Tyson neared them. Hilary elbowed her to keep quiet.

"What!? You are older than him?" Max enquired, slightly taken aback.

She pointed a lone finger at Tyson, "Why? Am I not mature enough to be older than him?" Ray seemed to be suppressing a smile and Kai actually could've laughed at that.

"You're not older than me." Tyson finally spoke, not looking directly at her.

"I am. That too a year older than you." She declared with her nose in high up in the air and Hilary just shook her head and moved on. Another fight was on its way.

"11 months 28 days," he corrected.

"Which is equal to one year if you count the 28 days as February."

"It's not."

"It is."

"No."

"Yes."

"Timing guys..." Mr. Arthur attempted making peace... but most of the people stopped him. no one could bring back the normal Tyson as soon as a fight with June could and somehow, June knew it very well.

"No!"

"Yes!"

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"You are going to file for an organ transplant," Miss Katie stated in a firm voice. It had been an hour since any of them said anything.

Mr. Dickinson sighed. "What if I don't?"

"You'd have to. You still have to pay me back."

"For what?"

Staring out at the weathering autumn leaves, her voice losing strength with every word, she said, "For breaking off our engagement the second day we found I was... _infertile._ " the last word came out as an effort, triggering a million memories in both the minds.

And that hit hard. Harder than anything else.

"Besides," She wiped a lone tear from the corner of her eyes, "If you had been half as observant as a brick wall, you'd have noticed that the kids are doing all this just because you don't give up your life so easily."

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

That night was horrible for Mr. Dickinson. Her voice echoed in his ears cutting his soul into pieces. True he loved her at one time. What started as mere joke of Arthur, eventually turned in reality. They never dated each other but still... it was something... something like an inner connection. They got engaged after graduating and it was meant to be a secret for at least another month but then...

He could've fought against them, against their families who didn't want an infertile bride and who didn't want to give away an infertile daughter, he could've fought against everyone just to hold her hand but he... he took the easy way. He chose what was easy, not what was right.

It was a mistake he regretted the most in his life. About 4 years back during the third World Championships, he traced her all the way to Madrid and took the opportunity of going there for the BBA vs. Barthez Battalion. It was a hard task to convince her back after all this time... but they agreed eventually to stay as friends.

Mr. Dickinson sighed for the umpteenth time. Even his last days were proving to be a mess.

In the other corner of the resort, Kai walked towards the kitchen to get some water for himself. The soft wind rustled as he passed through closed doors and down the stairs, when his attention turned to the soft light coming from a room. June's room. He didn't mean to eavesdrop but a man's voice made him stop to listen.

"I saw you standing by this dress... So I thought... Look sis," Tyson took her hand in his. "I'm really sorry for what I said to you in the bus-"

"Save your breath little brother," June jerked her hand away from him, "And what made you think I will... I will wear this disgustingly insufferable dress?" She held up the dress between them and Kai vaguely remembered that June indeed was standing beside that one when they were having the telepathic battle. Perhaps she was admiring it before she spoke to him.

Even if Tyson felt hurt, he didn't show it. "You like dresses... and red colour." His voice was low; he knew where this talk had led.

"But..." She said, anger suddenly disappeared from her voice as she pulled her arms to the back, "You know I don't wear these... these sorts of dresses." She just stared at the short sleeves of the dress and clasped her hands at the back even tighter. Kai didn't know what to make of this sudden reaction.

Silence spread for a minute. Tyson moved forward, embraced her and this time she didn't jerk him away. Instead, Kai heard a soft sniff. Tyson ruffled her hairs and said –

"It matters not what you've been scarred as, you'll never be looked down upon, ever. You're the best girl – of course after Hilary – OW!"

June punched him again in the abdomen and Tyson faked a cry. They laughed about it and Tyson wishing her good night left the room. Kai hid himself as June stood there at the door, the dress which Tyson had given her, in her hands.

She looked at the dress, then at the empty hallway ahead when a cold voice echoed in her ears –

"Oh my God, that took my heart away."

A bit amused and malice-laden, it nearly made her jump. She rushed inside and closed the door at lightning speed, fear of what-the-hell-just-happened gushing all inside her, thus becoming the second person who was not going to get any sleep tonight.

And in another room, a certain Russian lay in his bed, replaying the scene again and again. If only he had a camera, he would have blackmailed her for the rest of their lives.

 _'_ _Revenge is sweet...'_

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

The next morning –

"Well...umm..." Hilary sat at edge, restlessness and uncertain of what to say. Others just quietly waited for her to say.

"The thing is..." _Spit it Hilary, it's not like you're announcing you have an illegal child with Boris!_ She took a deep breath and began – "Tyson and June are not siblings."

Ray raised his eyebrows as if Hilary just stated something as obvious as earth is round. "And...?"

Hilary – for the first time ever – wanted to kick him because if hadn't been his extra sensitive ears, he wouldn't have heard Tyson's words yesterday in the bus as clear as a crystal. And if it hadn't been his curiosity that why Tyson said that his mom was not June's, she wouldn't be sitting here explaining the whole theory.

She fixed her glare at him, and he seemed amused seeing Hilary nervous, she continued –

"After a month of the BEGA fiasco we were informed that Tyson's aunt had an accident - A terrible car crash which killed his aunt, her husband and the driver. Fortunately, her daughter was saved but her condition was very critical. She was in coma for about... five weeks I guess and then she awoke with a complete memory loss. Being the only relatives to her, Mr. Granger adopted her and took her custody. Since she didn't even remember her name, Tyson named her June."

"After the month he likes the most because of Ice-cream and summer?" Ray asked quizzically.

"Yes, after the month he likes the most because of Ice-cream and summer." Hilary said and the others – Ray, Max, Kai, and some of the old lot just sighed.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **A/N: Once again, thanks to everyone who is reading this story. Really guys, your support means a lot provided that I'm terrible at updating this story and actually vanished from the face of earth for the past few days. But still, big thanks to everyone (including the guests who reviewed) ;) Oh the next chapter consists of the Halloween party and even though I shouldn't reveal this, Hilary is dressing up as Tinkerbell! What do you think? Childish, yes. But stunning? Definitely yes! ;P Any guesses what Kai can possibly dress up as?**

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	8. Chapter 8

**8**

 **The Halloween Night**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **A/N : First of all, congratulations Subha for guessing correctly. Kai indeed is going to be a Dracula here. And next, thanks to everyone (Droplets of Blue Rain, Blue shadows of sky, CuteTyhil, Subha and the guests) for reading this story which I'm terrible in updating. But now, I promise the updates will be fast. I want the first part to be over soon. **

"Umm June... I think this is a bit childish..."

"My God Hilary! I can bet a thousand dollars that Tyson is gonna snog the sense out of you, you look amazing!"

Hilary flushed a deep red at her friend's words as she adjusted her dress. Her hairs were up and all set – not dyed blond because _"Max would run to eat your head thinking it as mustard"_ according to June and the wings really made her want to fly. She at first was very shy in dressing up like this – Tinkerbell, a little green fairy – but June pushed and threatened and was almost close to stabbing her with imaginary daggers till she finally gave in. But it seems that the idea was not that bad at all.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"Kaaaiiiii..."

A low crisp voice said behind Kai and he rolled his eyes. "Last warning Valkov," he turned around to face his friend and...

There was Tala Valkov – the former Captain of Russian Beyblading Team, the man who graced the cover pages of Russian Weekly Magazine thrice in the last 7 months – sporting a white pot over his head labelled with an emoticon –

Kai just glared at him. This was, by far, the most ridiculous and stupid thing being done by Tala. Living outside Abbey had done a great damage to him. He hated that emoticon. And Tala just stood there facing straight at Kai. Annoying Kai Hiwatari was one of his favourite pastimes. So he moved closer to him.

"Gone insane or what?"

"..."

"Shove off Valkov or I'll make sure no girl dances with you tonight!"

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"Get off my costume Tyson you're ruining it!"

"Hold on Maxie, I'm busy combing the silkiest hairs in the world."

"Does that mean you've to step on my costume?"

"Yes it does. Oh just chill dude, it's not like Mariam or Emily or any other girl is gonna pay attention to you when I'm there."

"You really are a loathsome cockroach you know that?"

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"Stan, Stan, how's the room's fan?" Mr. Arthur plopped on the cushions beside the others.

"This room doesn't have a fan my friend." Mr. Dickinson replied with his warm smile as Miss Mia sniggered, "Honestly Arthur Frank, even a toddler would rhyme Stan with a better word than Fan."

"Sorry Mia I'm going to dignify that with my super witty comments because I have more pressing matters on hand," he said dismissively and Mia raised an eyebrow.

"So," Arthur raised his voice for everyone in the hall to hear, "Who exactly, with pure honesty please admit, took away Edward Wright's whole wardrobe of clothes and left only and Octopus costume there?"

A huge round of laughter erupted in the hall and Arthur nearly burst out – "Seriously guys you're taking this as a light matter? For the first time in a century I, Arthur Frank, the prankster's God of Pranks, is not part of a perfectly pulled prank! Its matter of National importance for God's Sakes!" and with a face of a three year old not being allowed to eat sweets, he stomped off the room.

"Who in the world," Mia said with a deep animated sigh, "would say this man is a retired Army officer?"

Amidst the talks, Grandpa Granger said to the man sitting beside him, "Stanley, you don't think we should've included him in the plan?"

"No I don't," Mr. Dickinson replied with a smirk, "It's really a very rare scene to see Arthur pissed over for not being included in a prank. No doubt he's gonna hunt down Edward in the end."

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

The White Tigers, their heads held high, entered the hall of the Resort titled The Four Aromas. Mariah craned her head to look for a certain raven-haired guy, but all of the sudden the lights went off.

"What is this-" Kevin almost started whining when another silky voice, deep, nasty and dark, echoed around the whole hall –

"Imagine... lying unconscious in the middle of the road at night, not knowing what's going on and surrounded by eerie, creepy whispers all around."

Someone from the old lot shrieked loudly and hid herself in the arms of the man beside. Some sort of old creepy music started in the background accompanied with deep low howling of wolves which seemed to come closer and closer with each passing second. Everyone waited for the voice to continue as Mr. Andrew gently patted his wife's back.

"Imagine getting up and finding all your friends and family and almost everyone you once knew dead, their insides eaten up and the bodies horribly destroyed..."

Panicked screams rose in the corners – even Hilary screamed loudly claiming something just brushed her back - and this time, the words came out even more forcefully –

"Imagine your hairs rising on end at the mere rustling of leaves, the chain-rattling howls surrounding you, your legs shivering at the spine-chilling sight, you own blood curdling you to death... Imagine that rusty old door of your house which never opened by any amount of force suddenly bursting open there's a shrill and a scream and you want to run for your life but he has grabbed you by collar you can't escape... you turn to look at him despite your every ounce of common sense screaming you not to and you find... you find... a cute MARSHMALLOW LIKE ME!"

The crowd let a breath out as Max appeared on the stage – beaming brightly as ever in his marshmallow costume – there were many curses and groans but everyone clapped and cheered and hooted. Max did sound evil for the first time!

The hall was decorated keeping the theme in mind which explained the hanging bats and illuminated orange pumpkins fixed here and there. The silver and green lights gave another kind of elegant spooky feeling to the environment and the skeleton structure which time and again fell from the ceiling was the cause of surprised shrieks and screams in Max's earlier speech. This little trick was a secret – and such a closely guarded one that even Hilary, who herself had organised and finalised everything, got to know about it when the skeleton brushed her back. She could swear on her last breath that she was scared to death but Tyson and June, found it very funny that they laughed for 15 minutes straight. Their plan was the best!

Max went on –

"WELCOME TO THIS AWESOME AND AMAZING HALLOWEEN PARTY! And a big thanks to everyone for coming at such a short notice to make this party even more special. I – Max 'Prince Charming' Tate-"

There were several "oohs" and "ahs" and "Fuck off Tate" at that.

"I am your host for the evening and so first, let's call upon stage our fantastically dressed friends who lived up to the real spirit of Halloween! And those who didn't dress up something Halloween themed are to pay a thousand dollars for each ounce of air they breathe."

Max added with a laugh and Michael gave a long 'he's-talking-about-you' look to Rick. It wasn't his fault entirely. Dressing up was optional!

"So the first one is – bloody hell they are the best ones probably – Ray Kon and Mariah Wong! The Robot Couple! However, referring them as Mr. and Mrs. Kon won't be an exaggeration OuCh! God woman I'm a delicate piece!"

"Serves you right Mr. Marshmallow Tate." Mariah huffed with Ray beside her, a smug grin over his face, headed down the stage. Mariah's metal hand must have struck hard.

"So after that horrible murder attack on me-"

Mariah sniggered.

"Next comes Hilary Tachibana!" There was a silence in awe – everyone stood there admiring the brunette and Tyson almost wanted to jump over the stage and hold her in his hands.

Max picked the mike once again - "Looking amazing Hil! Aw, she looks like a little delicate princess – ouch! What was that for?"

"For calling me delicate Max," And she too, her nose high in the air jumped down the stage as the whole audience rolled in laughter. It was tough being a host really.

"Looks like I'm going to be dead after this party – Mom! Do take care of yourself!" he waved towards Judy sniffing fake tears as she gave a reassuring a smirk to him, "What? Mom you don't care if I die?" She shook her head in a no and another round of laughter aroused.

"After a shocking revelation from my own mother – I'm really sad at that – next are our dear Pirates Tyson Granger and Mr. Arthur Frank – the best pal of Mr. Dickinson – you guys should really be at the sea you know hunting octopuses or something – oh and there's our octopus – Mr. Edward Wright! – No Tyson don't hunt him he's your professor Daft – No Arthur don't!"

But Arthur threw an arrow at the Octopus and Mr. Dickinson gave an I-told-you-so look to grandpa Granger.

"And here's Tala Valkov – I can hear several lovesick women drooling over his wolf attire – no Mariam I didn't see you drooling over him."

"Shut up Tate!"

"Haha as if I would! – next is Michael the Bat – oh for a minute I thought you'd be a baseball bat." He exclaimed at Michael, who flashed a dazzling smile across the crowd, his bat ears perked up.

So and so, Max introduced everyone with his little chuckling jokes which was a great start for the evening. There was Kenny dressed up as a Rubik's cube (though he'd really love to be robot as Ray but he chose to be unique), then Romero – the F-Dynasty coach in a skeleton suit which sent laughing fits all around and Enrique dressed up as a Trash can. Even after being a trash can, why there were so many girls flocking around him, no one in the party could ever fathom. The Dark Bladers were also called upon the stage, and as predicted by a certain Granger, they indeed became the show-stoppers.

Daichi came dressed as a monkey which served a great entertainment to Tyson. Salima took to being a yellow and black honeybee – which Max remarked – was as good as mustard. Kai became a Dracula – a big surprise to everyone who thought he won't be dressing up – but he did; a real devil he looked with his pointed teeth and black-red cloak.

Following that, Queen stepped on and all the magic by previous appearances washed off. She was dressed in a white ball gown with black web like patterns. And in her hands was her 9-month old boy dressed up as a black spider such that when she held him in front of her, it looked like he was crawling over his web – his mum!

Several "Awws" were launched in their direction and even the stiff and proper Robert Jürgens couldn't help smiling to himself. He loved his wife; he loved their child even more.

"And lastly," Max said in the microphone, "We have the best person here – Mr. Dickinson!"

There was a huge roar of applause as Mr. Dickinson stepped on stage. Everyone was beaming at him with wide smiles plastered on their faces. After all, Mr. Dickinson was dressed up as Mickey Mouse!

His eyes raced among the crowd, each face bearing a strange emotion of respect and love... what wouldn't he give to be with these people forever?

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Sanguinex slid in a chair and ordered a drink for himself. He looked over to where the rest of his team was and smirked satisfactorily. At first when they had received the invitation to this party, he wasn't sure that he wanted to come. They weren't really the ones who mingled with people. They were accustomed to live and be in isolation of their own premises.

But his werewolf brother – who currently was having a 'glaring competition' with Tala that who was a better wolf – made everyone agree to come here and forced him to write an acknowledgement letter. Sanguinex had found it weird to send the letter like that, so he attached a novel titled _"Dracula"_ with it, one of his personal favourites.

Contrary to his doubts, they all had mixed well with the people in the past few hours. For instance, Cenotaph was busy with a considerable amount of adults and was rather enjoying himself. Also, he was amusing Robert's spawn who seemed utterly delighted by his endless bandages.

He smiled to himself. Time does change everyone.

"Excuse me?"

There was a little tap on his left shoulder and he stiffened a bit. He turned around like a gentleman should when being approached, and there in front of him stood a girl – young and fresh – dressed up as a witch. Those blood shaded lips and those sparkling purple eyes, the long black hairs adorned flowing out from the hood of her robe... for a fraction of a second Sanguinex felt that she was made just for him.

"Have you seen an idiot called Tyson Granger anywhere?" she asked and Sanguinex could've sworn he wanted to lick those lips of hers. Lust is dangerous...

He smirked and pointed to a direction. June followed his gaze and saw her brother taking Hilary in a secluded corner. She smirked. Her predictions were coming true. "I guess I should not disturb them for a while."

"Of course you shouldn't." He replied smiling a devilish smile to her and for some reason she didn't seem to falter from that, which, in Sanguinex's opinion was interesting. Very interesting.

"You weren't there on stage," he mumbled, in an attempt to start a conversation and keep her with him; however he wasn't sure that this was going to work for too long.

"Yeah..." June agreed, observing the man closely. "I came in a bit late. By the way... If I'm not wrong, you must be Sanguinex from that Vampire-captained team."

He could see his victory from afar as he replied – "Well I am the Vampire Captain and I prefer the name Dark Bladers for our team." He extended a hand towards her, "And you?"

"June Granger," she shook hands with him. He lightly caressed her hand with his thumb feeling the pleasure in his each and every nerve. He wanted this girl. Every drop of blood in her.

They talked for some ten minutes when the music began and slowly and steadily people moved on the dance floor. He asked her to, and to his utter delight, she agreed. They stepped on the dance floor and Sanguinex snaked his hand around her waist. He really wanted to rip her black robes which covered her every part.

A soft tune played in the background, the lights dimmed to suit accordingly. She didn't see his devious smirk which often graced his face before he thrust his fangs in someone's neck; neither did he see a certain Russian glaring in their direction.

She laughed at his numerous jokes. They were having a good time when suddenly, a strong hand pulled her aside and a deep manly voice spoke to her –

"You're dancing with me. Come." Before she could say anything, Kai had her hand in his and turned from the spot when Sanguinex stopped him in an equally hard tone –

"Forgot manners, eh? She's dancing with me."

Kai stood facing him, both sizing up the other. Kai glared at Sanguinex and he tried his best to return them as fiercely. June's first instinct was to stop them, but it's not always that two boys – almost men – fight over you. So why not enjoy it? Besides, no one was noticing so let it drag a bit more...

"She's my date for tonight." Sanguinex uttered in a challenging tone and June raised an eyebrow. _When did that happen?_

"She's my best friend." Kai declared and June gaped at him. _WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!_

Sanguinex had nothing to say at that. Glancing at Kai's hand which was holding June's, he let her go off and vanished somewhere in the crowd.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"Hiwatari called me his best friend? The great Kai Hiwatari? The most proud and pompous brat to have played the sport of beyblade gave the title of his best friend to me? June Granger? A 'bloody-mouthed' person? Oh how the mighty heaven has fallen-"

"Granger, it's been two hours since that mistake can you please stop this?"

"I know but I still can't believe."

He mentally sighed as he took a drink. "He could've had you right on this table until you passed out of blood loss."

"I know." She said, idly playing with a knife in her hand. "But why should've I worried when my best friend was around?" She laughed to herself and Kai cursed under his breath. He was going to be tortured by this for the rest of his life.

"KAI! MY GOSH! It's been ages."

They both turned at the squeal to see an orange haired American making her way towards them. Kai rolled his eyes. Emily.

She held her hand out to shake, "How are you doing?"

Kai gave a mere grunt in response and she pulled her hand back. She shook her head as her eyes fell on June. "Hi there! You are?"

"I will let Hiwatari do the introduction of his best friend to you." June filled in with a smug expression as Kai shot her the most loathing look he ever gave anyone and spoke -

"She's - pardon I forgot her name." June glared and he smirked. She smiled at Emily ignoring him - "June Granger."

Emily chuckled. "Isn't June a month? Why would you name yourself after a month?"

"Isn't Emily a doll which that kid is presently kicking to death?" June pointed to Robert's kid who was a few tables away from them sitting with Rick and Steven from PPB All Starz who were encouraging him to keep kicking a doll he had in his hands. 'Emilyflower Smith' was engraved on it.

Emily looked as if someone had slapped her. She mumbled something under her breath and left saying she remembered something urgent. June loved her name and no one could ever insult that that was for sure. As for Kai, he was glad she left.

"Come on let's dance," she spoke all of a sudden and he rolled his eyes. Dancing was the last thing he'd do this evening.

"Are you coming or may I announce your little confession to the world?"

And that was why he hated her. He was being blackmailed instead of being thanked! This continued for another half an hour till he finally gave in. He made sure that the hall was deserted by Sanguinex. He didn't have any problem with him but when his vampire side overtook him, he was dangerous. There were many girls in the party but since June was dressed up as a witch in a black Wizarding Robes, no doubt she appealed the most to him.

As they were dancing, June all of a sudden stopped and began untying his cloak. He instantly held her hands and glared at her. But she had seen what she had too.

"OOo.. you're wearing that shirt Hiwatari. Should I take that you fancy me?" she wiggled her eyebrows and had a devious smirk on her lips. No doubt the vampire fell for her. Curse this woman!

He indeed was wearing that deep red shirt which 'took her heart away' in the shop the previous day. Unfortunately, it was the best one for a Dracula attire. He had the collars of his cloak up and a black waistcoat on, lest she should discover it but seems like it didn't work.

"Actually," he exclaimed challenging her with his trademark smirk. There was something which he too had discovered. "You too are wearing _that_ dress. Should I take that you fancy me, which I admit, would be enough to make me puke."

June missed a step there. _Does that mean..._

Kai pulled the string near the neck of her Wizarding Robes and it loosened a bit. It revealed a red Princess Chiffon floor-length dress which Tyson had given her and she had refused to wear. He had to applaud her brain, no one could've made out that she was wearing a red dress inside the robes.

"It was you who scared me to death that night you idiot!" She bellowed at him in a hushed tone but soon after she laughed, recognising the idiocy in the whole situation. And as she laughed, the lights suddenly went off such that only the silvery lights glimmered in the soft glows of green and the music track suddenly changed.

"You did that didn't you?" He enquired and she winked in reply. Controlling soft minds wasn't that hard. He grinned knowing full well this game was going bad. Pleasantly bad.

"So Hiwatari, since we're (*cough*) best (*cough*) friends and you fancy me," sarcasm dripped from her words such that Kai actually barked a short laugh at that, "Go on, impress me further."

A quick glance at the surroundings once more, he nodded slightly with an amused twinkle in his eyes.

Before she knew he grabbed her waist and spun her, her red dress billowing around. His cloak swished around and they formed a perfect sync of red and black together. He had her in his arms and so on they danced and danced, their agile feet gliding on the floor.

Kai was not exactly a good dancer, nor was June, but it was enjoyable. Immersed in the challenge thrown, a devious smirk graced his lips, even more dazzling due to the fake sharp canines. The Witch and the Dracula stared so intensely at each other's purple eyes that Tyson nearly broke the glass he was holding in anger. _How dare they?!_

She twirled as Kai pulled her closer. The music track changed to a slow soft one as he felt her deep breathing. She whispered something in his ears, which definitely was a super sarcastic comment on someone or something which Kai found it amusing and supplied with his own sassy remarks. It was just a casual talk but Tyson from afar didn't find it good at all.

Tala took another shot of Vodka rotating his gaze everywhere on the dance floor. Even Daichi was with some girl... Crusher's sister probably. He remarked to himself in mocking tone -

"You're a git Valkov... What is the use of being Tala Valkov if all the beautiful girls are taken?"

"I'm not."

He turned around to face the owner of the voice.

"However," she leaned against he counter, "I may or may not fit your description of beautiful." She grinned and Tala felt the same appearing on his lips. He held out a hand for her, she accepted and they made their way to the dance floor.

"Julia Fernandez, right?"

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

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	9. Chapter 9

**9**

 **Splitting**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **A/n: so the Tyhil scene is especially for CuteTyhil. Hope you like it. And thanks to everyone for the reading the previous Chapters. I'm glad you all liked the Halloween dresses. My personal favorite too was Queen so a high-five Randomidiots!**

 **So on with the next one.**

Hilary twirled as Tyson pulled her closer. The music track changed to a slow soft one as he felt her deep breathing. "So," he said wrapping his arms around her from the back, "You really didn't like the names Hyson and Tilary?"

She laughed at the joke and said resting her head in his chest as they swayed lightly over the beat. "I guess naming them 'Daichi Junior' and 'Daichi Junior Second' would be much better..."

"NO! No! Not happening! Not at all... " And his expression turned into a dreamy one as he imagined his future with Kids named after that jumping monkey.

"Come on Hilary you can't do that to me!"

Hilary broke into a hysterical fit of laughter. Tyson was red with embarrassment as all the eyes turned to him. He gave a shy smile and dragged Hilary back to the Drinks Counter.

Some ten minutes later -

"Am I dreaming or is that _Kai_ with June?" Tyson choked in his drinks at Hilary's words and followed the direction to which she was pointing. That was indeed Kai. With June.

The onlookers were hooting and whistling but Kai ignored, immersed in the challenge thrown, a devious smirk gracing his lips , even more dazzling due to the fake canines. The Witch and Dracula stared so intensely at each other that Tyson nearly broke the glass he was holding. _How dare they?!_

A few tables away, Tala and Julia made their way to the dance floor. Mariah waved at Hilary and dragged to another table.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Even though Tyson had a straight face, Kai very well saw through his mask as he asked June to come with him. They stopped dancing and he left her, sensing the anger in Tyson. He didn't need to think twice about following them.

Kai moved quietly as he located the window of the room in which the Granger siblings could possibly be fighting. He stood near the window outside hearing what the inhabitants inside spoke, his hands in his pockets for warmth.

"...it's nothing like that! We're just friends!"

"Like hell you guys are! I saw how you were looking at each other!"

So the fight was due to him. Amazing.

"If you have a problem with that, then you should've seen the looks Sanguinex gave me! Honestly Tyson! Just because he's your girlfriend's ex doesn't mean you can-"

"How did you know?"

"What?"

"How did you know about Kai and Hilary?"

There were some mumblings and mutterings which Kai couldn't hear. But after a minute, Tyson's loud angry voice came –

"I fucking asked you something! Does HE know that you're a psychic?!"

"Y-yeah."

"Bloody hell! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!? You know how dangerous it is and still you dared to tell him?! My goodness... he knows about you, you read his mind... what the FUCK IS ALL THIS JUNE GRANGER!?"

"I-I didn't-"

"Of course you did! We never told you about them both, nor would anyone else and Kai would be the last person to voice it. It's been 3 years and I'm not a fool to not know that you read his mind without his knowing so shut up!"

"But he takes drugs! I saw it... in his mind... If you're not an idiot you too should've guessed that Hilary's rejection can't be the only reason for his breakdown! Your friend's addicted!"

"I DON'T CARE! I just know that I have been telling you from day one on this holiday to stay away from him and you never listened! From this instant you're gonna forget that ever met a guy called Kai Hiwatari do you understand!?"

"No I don't! You're not the one to order me anything!"

"I am! You guys have been attacked once!" There was a pause and he saw the faint outline of June trying to move out of the room but Tyson had her by arm. "You don't understand! It's not safe... Don't be with him it's not safe."

But June had already turned to leave the room and slammed the door behind her, leaving Tyson locked inside.

"Open the door! June! Open this damn door you can't leave me here!"

Kai saw as Tyson pounded on the door but June was gone and there was possibly no one in the vicinity to hear. Running a frustrated hand through his hairs, Tyson took his phone and dialled for someone.

Kai too, not wanting Tyson to come out anytime soon, locked the windows from the outside where he was standing and left the place, the conversation buzzing in his head.

Tyson had begun seeing him as a threat considering how his and Hilary's relationship had ended and how the abbey men had attacked them earlier. He was not any silly teen to take this as a grudge. Every sane brother would want to protect his sister no matter what. But still... it didn't feel right. He was being sidelined because of his past. Because of something which he neither had wanted nor had a control of.

People had always been afraid of him. Of the Blitzkrieg Boyz. Of BEGA. Due to their past. But Tyson? Wasn't he the one who had fought with all the three? Wasn't he the one who considered his so called notions of Friendship above all this?

Well, people change. He had learned that lesson very early in his life. And honestly, he had stopped caring about people's opinion on him a long time back.

But the revelation that Tyson's sweet little sister had read his mind was enough to make him want to punch her. He suspected it had been on the day they were on the terrace, when he was a bit drunk. He remembered the sudden strange headache.

Realization struck him. That night she had read his mind. It was her forced presence which gave that pain not the bloody alcohol. When he further thought... he had accepted her orders, he gave her his scarf and he stepped in the rain... even though he didn't want to...

She was controlling him! He should've known!

He didn't know what else to think. Do. His mind was clouded with several things... And he bumped into her. Granger. Not wanting to talk, he went past ignoring her when she stopped him and said –

"I saw you near the window." Damn that confidence... as if nothing happened between her and her darling brother. "You heard everything."

Yes he did. And he had heard enough. He shoved her out of the way and vanished leaving her staring at his retreating figure.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

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	10. Chapter 10

**10**

 **Goodbye**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **A/N: Finally getting to use the line, "Sorry Tyson, that's why I always brand my slaves." Finally! And here's also the answer why there's no Blitzkrieg Boyz. Read on!**

As expected from a big group of teenagers who've met each other after years and a nice old lot which never believed in acting maturely just because of old age, the party continued till late night and finally ended at 4 in the morning. Within an hour, the guests were out and the resort staff plunged in the efforts to make the place habitable again. Less out of courtesy and more due to orders from a certain Tachibana, no one dared to sleep before everything was back to order. With so many hands plunged in the efforts, by 8 the resort was restored to its normal state and by 8:30 am, everyone was so fast asleep that even dynamite would fail to wake them up.

It was nearly 5 in the evening when they woke up. After spending another two hours over tea and snacks reminiscing last night's badass party, it was time to plan the things out for the next day and to move on to the packing.

Good times do come to an end after all.

That night, Tala knocked softly on Miss Katie Russell's door. She opened the door and Tala followed her inside, Hiro following the trail. She motioned the young men to sit on the chairs.

"...So?" Hiro attempted to come directly to the point, his anxiousness growing every moment seeing the lady's stern expression.

"Well..." she took a deep breath and gave a smile, "you can have another party if you want as he's ready to go for a liver transplant."

"Thank Goodness!" Hiro spoke letting out the breath he'd hold on so far. "You're fantastic Miss Russell, you really are..." he got up and hugged her lightly but she could easily see the joy in his eyes at the news. Tala was much more self-controlled but that didn't prevent him to break into a wide grin.

"I mean, it's really amazing that we finally could convince him to not give up on his life, it really is. But how did you do it? We know you have a hand in there..."

"Oh leave it." She declined with a wave of her hand, all the memories in an instant flashing through her mind. "The point now is, that I'm gonna stay with Stan for some more time till his operation and I guess Arthur too would be staying back, it's still not confirmed though I'd rather not have that jumpy old bloke around again in my life." she ended with a laugh attempting to mirror what was going on in her mind.

"In any cases, we are at your service ma'am," Hiro bowed before her and she chuckled. Exchanging some more little talks, they were at the door leaving the room when –

"Ah yes, Tala, I guess you'd want to check your website today. We have a little surprise for you and the Hiwatari boy," she said with a slight hint of mischief in her voice.

He didn't say anything neither did he react as was his usual nature but from inside he was utterly surprised. Once outside, Hiro enquired about it. Tala refused.

"You know Valkov," Hiro said leaning against the wall in the hallway, "I've numerous ways to know what it is about so it would be better if you tell it yourself. Besides, I do think there was a reason for you to drop out of University even though you receive an education allowance from BBA which, I daresay, is more than enough to finance for your Bachelor's course twice."

Tala had his back against Hiro. He smirked.

"Not much of a big deal but there's this school which I and Kai wanted to start and we were short of finance."

And he just walked away as if he just hadn't revealed the cause of his existence.

Being an orphan, living in the abbey and never getting proper education somehow gave to birth to a desire within him of starting his own school. He didn't want other street kids to end up the way they had. Kai shared the same intentions but with a more fierce passions than his; he had seen the Hiwatari heir go all around raising money for the school and how he nearly pointed a gun at that government official's head who did not sign the papers of their land saying they were too young to engage in buying and selling.

But Spencer and Bryan – they moved out, refusing to give any kind of cooperation. It wouldn't have mattered if they had openly declared their non-allegiance. But they didn't. They instead chose to pretend that they were in and then ditched the whole project taking away 85% of the sum that had been collected by then which led to all the investors backing off and the land which they had bought to be kept on mortgage. Spencer said he had his own life to live and he cannot always move on as a tail of the team. And Bryan... he had much more to do in life than that.

Spencer got a job in Russian Army, left university in mid-term and was presently in Military training camp. He often reflected on his words leading to some quiet phone-calls which either Tala didn't pick up or Kai switched off and locked his phone somewhere out of reach. As for Bryan, that git was still in second year of college where he drooled over girls at night and over beer in the day.

Blitzkrieg Boyz had broken beyond repair.

Tala had to give up his education and his allowances to amend the loss but he made sure that Kai didn't follow the same suit because his leaving the University would come as a raw deal. Kai was not an idiot, he understood it full well. Finishing his course – which was a condition put by Voltaire – and taking up Hiwatari Enterprise was a better way to materialise the desire – because how much ever Voltaire had drained its resources, it was still very capable of funding a small school. It was a hard time for both of them but the desire that no other kid should ever have a childhood like them...

He shook his head to clear it all out and went to Kai's room where they together discovered that they had – in the past 6 hours – received online donations of a total of 102,829,042 Japanese Yen (910,892 US Dollars).

Tala slumped over an armchair with a sigh. "Someone obviously knows our secret around here."

Kai didn't even need to think who he or she was. Apparently, it was a she.

Tala leaned back, yawning and feeling a great gratitude inside. "Don't you think it was true?"

Kai cocked an eyebrow.

"The saying that... 'Do good and good will come to you'... haven't we heard that somewhere?"

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"I was almost starting to expect that this holiday never ends," Mr. Arthur Frank said as he put his bag in the back of the car. It was morning and the luggage was being loaded in the vehicles. Time to go.

"Apparently, me too." Mr. Black spoke, probably the first word he said since last night. "I'll let you do the talking Mia." He expressed in a rather put out tone and climbed in the car.

"Ah don't worry he's absolutely fine," Ms. Mia told Hilary who was looking concerned about Mr. Black's behaviour. "He's just a bit upset over going back."

She forced a sad smile.

"You know children; you have no idea how special and amazing this whole autumn holiday had been for us. We all are about 65 or nearby 70 in age, we've been through a lot of phases of life. School, college, university, job, profession, marriage, children, grandchildren... but out of all that, you chose to give Stan a gift – indeed a gift to all of us – of re-uniting with school friends. You know the friendships which are formed on the first day of school, when for the first time we come to live with people other than our family, are the purest forms of friendship... without any greed or motives. After all this time, none of us ever thought that we'd be able to get a chance to go back to that innocent childish stage so when suddenly one day our phone rings and an unknown voice through it says that they are arranging a re-union... It did feel a dream come true. We all are – including Black the Sourpuss – are really thankful to you all for this... for everything you did for all of us...I know you must feel I'm just rambling and rambling but you'll know the worth of it when you'll reach my age."

The blade-breakers smiled shyly. Who is used to hear so much praise in one go?

Hilary stepped forward a wide warm smile trying its best to hide the sadness in her eyes, "We should be thankful to you for giving us what we yearned for whole of our lives. Because honestly speaking, none of us ever had a family to start with. You know... the kind with Dad and Mum and Grandparents who tell you stories and lovely aunts who cook the most delicious things, uncles who always are ready to take you anywhere you want and tons of siblings to create havoc... hell, most of us didn't even have active mothers in our lives..."

Her voice threatened to break down at this point when a warm comforting hand reached her shoulders. Tyson's.

"So this was the first time that we experienced that how it is to live in a big family," Tyson cocked his head to Ray and winked.

Ray continued – "Really. All the fun we had with you all, all the stories you told us, all the things you taught and of course, the scolding, we actually realised how great it is to have older ones to guide you in life. So we don't think any of us needs to be thankful. It was a great experience for all of us. Sudden and untimed, yes. But amazing."

He ended with a cheeky grin and Daichi clapped at his words. The old lot almost broke in tears as both sides lunged forward to hug each other. A big group hug where no idea who was embracing whom, but everyone was sure that there was something in the aura which made the cold morning wind of November 2 suddenly warm and tender...

"Fine guys, fine, time to move on," Hiro announced, "Kai, Ray, Max, Kenny, get into the cars, we are already driving late. And June Granger, don't even dare to try and hide in the backseat we are not taking you."

He turned with stern eyes to his sister who looked at him with puppy dog eyes. "Please..."

"A no means no." He scolded and others – already seated in the vehicles – only laughed in response.

"Sometimes, I really hate you a lot."

Hiro grinned. "I assure you the feeling is very much mutual sweetheart." And he moved in the car.

"Fine! Go all of you." She threw up her hands in frustration. "And I swear I'm gonna disappear somewhere! You'll die looking but never be able to find me and then you'll realise the worth of June Granger! Hmph!" and she turned around on her heels, walking off to the resort.

"Oi June!" Max called amidst his chuckles but she didn't stop. "It must be hard to handle her isn't?" he called out to Tyson and Hiro. Tyson laughed hard and Hiro replied –

"Considering that the word 'Drama Queen' was probably invented after her, of course it isn't hard to handle her."

Max laughed and started the engine and soon other cars followed by. Hiro, Ray, Max, Kenny and Kai were going to leave the older lot to various stations and the airport to ensure their safe departure.

Kai looked at her withdrawing figure, she did turn back once and caught his glance but he instantly turned away. They had not talked since that night. He was angry and not interested in talking to her anymore. At least, not now.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

The big resort felt quite silent and lonely now that only Hilary, Tyson, Daichi, Tala and June were left there. They were to move to their homes the day after tomorrow as everyone decided, it was worth a little rest after the non-stop fun for the last 20 days. Grandpa Granger too went away with Mr. Dickinson tagged along with Miss Katie Russell.

But only within half an hour, the resort was again taken over head by the Granger siblings. Mr. Granger had called to inform them that he'd be coming in an hour or two. He had returned from yet another expedition and since the resort was on his way to somewhere where he had to go before returning home, he'd drop by for just a couple of minutes.

June was bouncing up and down eagerly waiting for _her_ father, looking every now and then from the window or making a round to the gate. She didn't even realise when she fell asleep in her room.

She yawned as she got up and untied her hairs but almost died of shock when she realised she had slept for two hours! She caught a glance of some cars standing on the avenue and jumped in joy. Others were probably back and judging by the black Ford, her dad was here!

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"You bastard- Ah!"

"Tala! No!"

Hilary screamed but a masked man muffled her voice and tied her with ropes as were all the others in the room. Tala glared at the figure standing near the door even as he laid stooped low on his knees. Daichi and Tyson were trying his best to struggle free but no use.

They were on gun-tips. One mistake and they were dead. Because Tala was sure that the man in front of them was not the one to make mercies.

Boris Balkov.

He'd recognise this man even if he had a thousand disguises.

"What do you want?" Tala spat at him. There was no use of asking why and what the fuck he was doing out of jail.

"Apparently nothing from you my boy," Boris said in a wickedly sweet voice, savouring the helplessness of the _kids_ in front of him. "My sole purpose of coming here is you, Mr. Tyson Granger."

Tyson glared at him as one of Boris's men placed a knife across is neck.

"Since I don't have time for pleasantries," his voice suddenly deep and a serious expression replacing his features. "Just one question – Where. Is. _She_?"

"I... I don't k-know."

Boris's expression became even more severe. He would've ordered to shoot Tyson then and there when they suddenly heard an excited squeal 'Papa!'

The door of the room flung open and Boris's body was wrapped in unexpected warmth and comfort, his fists clenched as his sides, but it went as soon as it had come. He looked at the intruder – innocent, small and confused. Perfect.

"I'm sor—Tyson!" June tried to apologize for mistaking someone else for her Mr. Granger but gasped seeing the state of the room.

"RUN!" Almost everyone shouted in unison to her but they were late. She was caught. Boris looked her from top to bottom and then glanced at Tyson.

"Seems like you've got someone new to care about," his sounded amused as if this was just a game he was playing. "Hade!"

A well-built man stepped out from the back, greed dripping from his every move.

Boris glared at Tyson as he shoved June towards the man called Hade, "Your early Christmas gift, Hade. Play with her as much you want."

Hade gave a grunt of pleasure

"No! Leave her!" shouted Tyson, "She has nothing to do with it! Leave her!"

But Boris hit him straight across the face. Tyson stumbled down and just minutes after Hades leaving the room with June, there was a terrible, drawn-out scream from outside.

"JUNE!"Tyson bellowed and he started to writhe and struggle against the ropes. "JUNE!"

There was another scream cutting the prisoners in the room like knife. Boris's laugh echoed in the room; he was enjoying the screams. Hilary was shaking with fear and Tyson was struggling harder than ever to loosen the grips around him.

"You bloody scumbag! JUNE!" Another scream and Tyson was red with fury. Daichi's 15 year old self was numb to what was going on. They heard Hade's voice from outside -

"Oh, you look hot with those cuts... reckon I should make some more?"

June mumbled something which was inaudible to them but she screamed again, her voice echoing off the walls. It went like physical pain though the bodies; Tyson dashed at Boris in utter desperation and a bullet fired. It flew straight past his shoulder and Boris shoved him down.

"Tyson!" Hilary shouted and tried to get a hold of him but one of the black-covered men held her back, his nails digging in her arms.

"Sir!" Hade cried from outside all of a sudden, "Sir! Come here please!" The urgency in his voice made Boris scrunch his brows in confusion. Nonetheless he got up and opened the door, motioning the others to follow him.

Hilary, Tyson, Daichi and Tala were pushed out of the room in the hall. Hade was supporting June, who seemed unconscious, and was holding a short silver knife on June's throat.

He had a greedy, malicious, crazy-sort of grin over his face. "Her hand..."

All eyes trailed to the limp hand hanging on her side. Boris went, rashly held it to take a look and all of a sudden his expressions changed.

"Tie and dump her in the car," his cold voice bellowed. Tyson let out a clear groan of protest, hiding his horrified state, the pain in his shoulder growing more.

"N-no..! Don't take her... She's not the one you want...!" Tyson's shout was almost as good as a confirmation.

The devil's lips curled in a sneer as he held June's limp hand up at the others.

"Sorry Tyson, but _that's_ why I always brand my slaves."

There on her inner forearm was a rough scar spelling a word, the letters jagged at the edges. Whatever had caused it was sharp, extremely sharp and whoever had caused it had etched it deep. Repeatedly. Long time ago.

It spelled a word.

'BITCH'

Tala stared at it, the cruelty behind the act triggering millions of memories and Daichi just closed his eyes, moving closer to Hilary trying to hide himself. She gasped, and Tyson stood motionless; this was something he never wanted to be discovered.

Sirens of police jeep echoed all around outside and the abbey minions – who were previously enjoying the show – grew alarmed. Boris threw a quick look of loathing at his prisoners, already ready to kill the one behind it.

His eyes stopped on Tala, who shot the Tala special smirk as he slowly slid a phone in his pocket. He had used the opportunity when Tyson was creating havoc over June's screaming to call the Police. Boris was enraged. Police had gained entry and throwing Tala one last look of pure hatred, he signalled something to Hade. Hade nodded and the rest all made a dash for the back exit. Grabbing the moment, Tala mustered up his strength and beat down the guard holding him.

Hade already had June by her hairs, he, with considerable force, smashed the back of her head in the nearest wall and dashed out.

Chaos ensued as police entered. Tyson and Hilary lunged forward to June, while Tala grabbed the whimpering Daichi by the collar. Boris was successful in running away.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Tala sat, his breath returned to normal, as the nurse tended to his wounds. None of the attackers had been caught and as expected, there were no clues to track them.

Report was filed with the police but everyone knew it won't have much effect. They had police protection but Tala knowing Boris full well, knew that this is just the start. Because he had slight instinct that Boris would come back. He had wanted June so badly, he would come back to claim her again. But why did he want her in the first place?

His phone rang. Kai.

He picked up the call and even before he could say 'hello' Kai's urgent voice came from the other side –

"Got the news?" Kai asked and Tala knew full well what the topic was.

"Experienced it." He replied.

"What happened?"

"Boris attacked. We were all caught and June was tortured like hell. I doubt she'll be stable after getting up if she gets up at all."

There was silence on the other side. He heard the intake of a deep breath. "I'm at Hiwatari Enterprises, Tokyo branch and Voltaire's on a video conference. It was probably this company he used to get a bail. They were out on Halloween night."

"His offence was non-bail-able!" Tala shouted, causing the nurse beside to jump in surprise.

"I know. Can't talk much."

With that he hung up. Tala too did. He sensed a deep contempt from his voice which he thought was entirely justified.

Boris and Voltaire were released on Halloween night in a gap of four hours, he read from a report via net. There was no doubt that they didn't come to know about their release which actually would've been running on all channels as the main headline. They were busy in partying and the next day too was a very lazy one. Also, they should've been a cautious provided the fact that Kai was already attacked once. But no! He wanted to smack himself for such ignorance.

Bloody hell, they were sentenced for 8 years each! And the gits came out in just 3 and 5 years!

He went to check on others. Daichi was in a better state but still a bit shaken by incident. He didn't blame the kid. He was just 15 and probably had never been exposed to such a torturous experience.

He went to June's room. She was in her bed, two doctors around her. An urgent medication team was called for them by the Police and one doctor by Tyson's special contacts, as they were not in a condition to travel at all. In the days he had known her, he could say she didn't deserve all this. He stood at the door, gazing at her and her scarred hand.

He heard noises and in an instant Hiro rushed in the room dashing to his sister. Anxious. Worried. Desperate.

As others entered, he slipped out of the room.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

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	11. Chapter 11

**11**

 **...And the leaves start falling**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"... And this way, Claudius got the punishment he deserved."

Tyson closed the book and took a sip of water. Before Hiro and June went to London some months ago, this was an occasional habit. Hiro would read to them until they slept.

He looked at June lying on the bed. It was night, dinner was going to be served but he didn't have any appetite. How many times he had wanted to believe that June is just sleeping. That she would get up any minute and come to him making some comment about something or someone and they would laugh it off. That they would fight again and she'll call him one of those stupid names or she'll –

Her fingers moved.

A gush of feelings rushed through his veins. He bent low to her, she was stirring, moving, regaining consciousness. "June?" She gave a low moan in response. He held her hand as she opened her eyes.

"Tyson..."

"I'm here." He said and the next moment she flung herself over him with whatever little force she would muster in her weak state. Her body was shaking and he could feel tears falling. Almost as an instinct, he wrapped his hands around her.

"I... I was so frightened... that man... that..."

"Shh... Everything's fine. You're safe." In response she only held him tighter, sobbing and afraid that she'll be lost in darkness if she didn't.

He patted her back gently. They were still in that position for five minutes as her sobs died down and stopped altogether. Suddenly, he felt her muscles stiffen in her back. The hands which were holding on to him tightly, loosened down and before he could say anything, she pulled away.

"Who are you?"

Tyson was taken aback. "June? What are you saying?"

"Who. Are. You?" Her voice was no longer shaky, nor the joyous dramatic tone which he was used to, but cold and almost threatening. She stared straight in his eyes and they had suddenly lost the playful twinkle they once had or even the frightened shade from a few minutes ago.

"June..?" He tried to hold her hand but she grabbed the fruit knife swiftly from the bedside stool and pointed at him.

Tyson stared. One moment his sister was holding on and the next she's pointing a knife at him. That look... she won't even think twice about slicing him if he dared to move a bit.

But then all of a sudden, a shooting pain ran though her head, she clutched her head tightly throwing the knife away.

"June!" Tyson dashed to her side but she pushed him away. He shouted for help as he attempted to hold her, to calm her down but she didn't let him near. She uttered words she herself didn't understand the meaning of, but she knew she was screaming, her head was paining. Nothing made sense to her except there was a person who was trying to hold her still.

Tears blurred her vision as she saw some figures entering the room. There was quite a commotion and chaos when something pricked her hand. Another shooting pain in the head and screamed loudly and jerked away whoever was that lady was. She just caught a glimpse of Tyson sitting beside with a horrified expression.

"T...Tyson..." She managed to utter. She heard him call her name, she felt him holding her face and the last thing she knew was that all the blur of memories in her brain was cleared off and the darkness pulled her in.

He kept repeating her name but she lost consciousness. The medicine did its work. Tyson let her head down, which he had in his lap, and tucked her in bed. He sat there mortified until Max supported him and took him out, leaving the doctor, nurse, Tala, Hilary, Hiro, everyone inside.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"...It was as if... as if she was fighting with her own self. There were things in her mind, so many things that she was fighting with herself to keep them down."

Tyson paused as that scene replayed in his mind. They were currently down in the hall called by the doctor whom Tyson had specially requested to be called along with the medication team by the police. Dinner was being served when everyone had heard Tyson's call for help and rushed upstairs. The clock struck 10 and food was left forgotten.

"What has happened to her Mr. Katashi?" Tyson breathed finally.

Doctor Orion Katashi – who was here especially on Tyson's request – said, "Look Tyson, I'm not sure about it but after hearing from you all what happened with her in the morning as well as now, I have only one theory which can justify whatever you witnessed."

There was complete silence as everyone hung on to each word he said.

"Currently, her brain is confused between two sets of memories it has. First, her days as June Granger and second, her life before being June Granger."

"What do you mean?" Ray asked.

He smiled at Ray's interest and continued, "I said it the first time I treated June three years back that she hasn't lost her memories entirely. They were suppressed somewhere deep down in her head and would definitely come back one day. When that man Hade smashed her head in the wall, it hit her in the back of the head bringing it all back.

"Before meeting Tyson, she had a life of her own with other people and some other name. The memories of that time are now colliding with the ones of June Granger and her brain is not able to decide on which one it has to act.

"Right now when she got up, her brain was not entirely sorted. She was June for the first 5-6 minutes or so and then she switched to being the person she was 3 years ago, due to which she didn't recognise you Tyson. As you said about her reactions and pain in her head, my guess is that her brain must've started losing track of who it was due to all the muddled up memories she had. She again shifted to being June but till then the injection had its effect and she lost consciousness which was good in a way, because she could've harmed herself.

"She's is perfectly fine and you perfectly know how, but her brain is confused between which identity is the real one because both have been experienced by it and it can't deny either's existence."

"So," Hilary began, "Will June be regaining her memory?"

"Maybe yes, maybe no. We don't know which set of memories her brain will consider more believable. Next time she gets up, you'll either meet June Granger or a girl who won't know any of you."

"But even if she regains her memory of before being June," Max said, "She will remember what all happened with her as June isn't?"

"No she won't. I'm very cautious with my words Max, and there was a reason I said you'll _either_ meet June Granger _or_ a girl who won't know any of you, because both these identities can't stay together. This isn't anything like a normal Split Identity disorder."

Silence spread as everyone let the pressure of the words sink in. Mr. Katashi was the only doctor who was successful in bringing June out of coma three years back and it was he who had found out that June had psychic abilities.

"You refused dad to come?" Hiro said to no one in particular. Tyson gave a silent nod as tears trickled down his cheek. Hilary got up to embrace him but he pushed her away rashly leaving the room.

"Tyson!" he didn't stop. "Tyson – no – come back!" he ignored.

"Go with him Hilary," Hiro's voice was barely audible. He looked up to her, his face being one of trying to be strong like he always did, making up his mask. "I have a story to tell."

She almost forgot to breathe. He nodded slightly, confirming again that he meant what he said. It was awkward that Hilary was smiling given the situation but she didn't mind. She was always against keeping this 'story' a secret after all. Giving Hiro a light hug, she went inside after Tyson.

"May I just ask what's going on?" Kenny piped in. Hiro drew a deep breath before turning to face them all. He was an adult and knew very well what the situation demanded.

"Guys, there's an important thing I need you all to know before it's too late."

Tala grunted, clearly not finding it interesting. Ironically, this perhaps would affect him the most. Hiro mentally smirked at the thought. The dinner lay forgotten as he began –

"I know Hilary told you all that June is our sister, cousin specifically, but it was a plain lie. Three years back she was found in the ruins of BEGA."

Everyone stared at him wide-eyed, sporting a 'What the Fuck!?' expression. Tala straightened in his chair.

"About two weeks after Tyson's match with Brooklyn, some workers stumbled upon a hidden door while removing the debris. Mr. Dickinson was informed as was the Chief of the Police In-charge. Mr. D confirmed that this building never had something like this. It was very well hidden, only brought out due to the damage caused by the match, leading underground.

"As luck would have it, Tyson had something to talk to Mr. D that day so he went there looking for him. The door took hours to be broken and the Police In-charge, Mr.D, two policemen and Tyson after convincing Mr. D, went inside. It led them deep down to a chamber and Tyson still says that even the Police In-charge had to clasp his hand over his mouth to prevent himself from shouting in horror."

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

He looked tired and sad and lost but equally intent on doing it. She knew he wouldn't like what she was going to say but she had to. "You're being selfish, Tyson."

He whirled around to look at her and she immediately felt her loss.

"What the hell are you saying, Hilary?" Even though his eyes were swimming in pain, they had a certain hardness in them now. The sorts which he usually had when he was angry. "The person who came in my house holding these very hands, the person who's the only reason me and Hiro are actually brothers today will never come back. How am I being selfish Hilary Tachibana?"

Even though Dr. Katashi said there were equal chances for her waking up either as June or someone else, they both knew it won't be very much possible. Hell, even Dr. Katashi knew it. And she knew what this would mean to him. She herself wanted to cry on his shoulders but this wasn't the time.

She knew she was being harsh. But sometimes, being harsh is the only way to get through Tyson's thick skull.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"What they saw was a girl of sixteen, hair shaven and clad in nothing but long hospital robes, suspended in slumber position in midair without any support surrounded by a blue spherical shield."

"How in the world is that possible?" exclaimed Max, flabbergasted with disbelief.

"She had psychic powers," Hiro held a hand up to Max who just opened his mouth to register his disbelief again. Hiro continued. "They also found the broken remains of a very advanced and complex machine near her which was utterly non-repairable. Her energy shield was very hard to break but somehow they managed it, possibly because it had weakened since the time it was created as the creator was deep in slumber. They took her to Hospital; her treatment went on in complete secrecy because Mr. D knew this was something Boris had a deep connection with because why else would he keep her in an underground chamber? Some two days later it was told that she's in coma. She stayed there for five weeks under the care of Dr. Katashi." He motioned towards the old man who had been listening with his arms crossed over his chest.

"It was a big shock to me when I discovered she had psychic powers and that provided an explanation about the energy shield," Dr. Katashi began explaining –

"She was given a special chemical drug to force her in deep sleep. It was a tedious task to make an antidote but once started, it was an easy combination. Someone had merged anaesthesia and sleeping drugs and used a simple formula to prolong their effect which made it appear as the patient was in coma. Also her genes have been genetically modified to channelize her psychic powers into healing injuries on her and only her body.

"Her natural powers include _Telepathy_ that is mind to mind communication, _Telekinesis_ – the ability to move objects without touching, _Mental manipulation_ which for her includes everything from changing your thoughts to controlling your actions, _Energy manipulation_ which enables her to manipulate energy for various uses, the ones I have seen her do are usually creating shields and barriers and energy blasts of course. And lastly _healing powers_ by genetically engineering her. Anything else Max?"

Max, completely engrossed with the details nearly jumped on hearing his name, "What? Oh—no, no I understood."

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"You're not the only one going through this Tyson! You are not the only ONE! We always knew she would get her memories back one day. And it was you who told me that day the people she'd need the most will be us!"

"And I always wished that day should never come! Maybe three years is not a long enough period but we spent every minute of it together. You realise she'll forget all that... every single detail about me, about you, about Hiro, about Dad, about everything! She is my sister Hilary and I don't want to lose her!"

"That doesn't mean you can drug her with sedatives with these very hands which brought her in our lives! That's utterly inhuman!"

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"How did they leave someone who had connection with a master-criminal?" asked Tala, his questioning gaze straight in Hiro's eyes.

"Well, after Dr. Katashi managed to get her out of coma, she had no recollections of her past. With the help of some secret contacts Boris was presented for enquiry via video conferencing through the jail. When asked to recognise and confirm any connections to her, he just laughed and flatly refused. Even after hours of torture he just gave a mocking smirk and shrugged off.

"We were at a loss as to what to do because here we had a girl without any identity – neither in any records nor in her own brain and there was no way to prove she had connections with any of Boris's secret plans. The fact about her psychic abilities at that time lied only with Dr. Katashi and Mr. D.

"So in order to protect her – because even though Boris didn't admit it, it was clear that he would go after her this day or the other if he had kept her hidden so securely – Mr.D talked with Dad over Tyson's suggestion of adopting her in family. Dad agreed. She was well acquainted with Tyson till that time so she didn't hesitate. Her appearance was changed – _purple eye-lenses to hide her natural steel-silver eyes and black dye for her purple hairs._ And this way, June Granger came in existence with a false back story of being a cousin of our deceased relatives."

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

It took Hilary a moment to realise that Tyson was embracing her tightly, his head buried in her hairs, silent tears rolling down his cheeks after the full-fledged argument much like the high-school days. June was someone for whom he had almost given his everything. Hiro initially had refused to accept her; he was passed rude comments on being in a secret relationship with her and what not.

They stood like that for five minutes, and Hilary left him with kiss on the cheek. He needed space; he had to sort this out on his own.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

The thick ice of silence was broken by Ray. "You guys kept this a secret then why tell us now when we have only two days left here?"

Hiro took a sip of water. "Because we have been attacked twice and I want everyone to be ready if they strike again. Now at least you have an idea how serious this can get and what for."

"You're asking us to protect her?"

"No. I'm asking you all to protect yourselves because these are not the first attacks. Mr. D and that Police In-charge were attacked some months ago based on suspicions and so we – me and June – had to go to London for some time. You can guess what sort of they were if they forced us to leave our own home."

"Why did you move away when they were attacked? Definitely this drew their attention over you guys!" Daichi said crossing his arms with a proud expression of deciphering something and a slight part of him wanting to lighten the mood.

"Not at all. There was BBA meeting some months back making it evident for me to leave and after-"

"After getting nothing from the old blokes," Hiro was cut in by Tala's cold voice, "Their next targets were me and Kai given our pasts."

"Yes," Hiro gave a slight nod. "And through you they found June. The man who was caught from Kai's attack admitted he had followed them from the moment they set foot in the market after all. This was one for the primary reasons why Tyson didn't want June to associate with Kai much. He was afraid that more such attacks could happen and in that way, she was dangerous for him. He had been warning her from the first day that it was not safe, but June never understood why Tyson said it. We never told her she was associated with Boris and what it could cost."

A short laugh escaped from his mouth as he remembered how furious Tyson was when he saw that June removed her lenses that day after the attack and Kai saw her silver eyes. He nearly kicked him to death that day. The idiot was worried about that more than her health!

The clock ticked 11. Finally Max threw up his arms, frustrated from so much information in one day. "Can't that Boris fucking bloke Balkov give it a rest? After all this time, I really don't want to be a part of his shit."

Tala mentally smirked. He would take a nice big meal at restaurant for winning the bet. Max Tate did curse.

"To be honest Max none of us wants to," said Hiro walking towards the dining table to the long forgotten food, "But given how badly Boris wants June, something bad is definitely going to happen or, has already started."

Others too got up to eat. He put the first spoon full in his mouth, "By the way, Welcome back Kai. You missed out a very interesting story going on."

Kai who had just entered the hall and in the dining area, merely grunted in response and went to his room to change as Hiro tried his best to concentrate on his food not on the last words which he had heard June say.

' _Fine, go all of you! And I swear I'm gonna disappear somewhere! You'll die looking but never be able to find me and then you'll realise the worth of June Granger!'_

It hurt harder than anything else ever did.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

The sun was already up when Tatsuya Granger awoke to find his father, Ryu Granger polishing his kendo stick outside on the sundeck looking at the crimson autumn leaves.

"Good Morning," he said sitting beside.

"Morning," replied Grandpa, still looking at the tree and its fallen leaves.

Tatsuya noticed. "This tree has always been one of our family's favourite. Mum planted it when I was born I guess. Mum and beloved better half loved its shade," He smiled pointing to a low branch, "That was where you composed poems for mum and there I used to sit and cry when you gave me extra practice lessons."

Grandpa gave a short laugh. Tatsuya pointed to another branch.

"Tyson quite often dozed over there and Hiro used to play his guitar for hours on end on that one while June usually sneaked books from library and sat reading there on that branch." He finished pointing at one almost bare branch. This tree never usually shed leaves before November ending.

As they sat there reminiscing the old memories, Grandpa saw a cool breeze gently pulling at the 4-5 leaves on the tree, trying their best to hold their ground. His heart pounded in his chest for a reason he didn't know as he watched those crimson leaves finally falling down, leaving a lifeless branch belonging to June Granger.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **End of Part I**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **A/N:** **Finally the first part is over. I initially thought of a continuing as another story but since these two parts are more or less like Yin and Yang, so decided against separating them. I hope you all agree with it.**

 **The second part will be continued in this fanfic only but after 5** **th** **November. Just one reason as always –** **end of term exams** **from Monday (i.e. 16** **th** **Oct). Big thanks to all of you – Droplets of Blue Rain, CuteTyHil, Blue Shadows of Sky, Ranjan567, Rock the Road, Randomidiots (Guest) and Guest – for sticking till here. I hope you guys will enjoy the next part too. Best wishes till 5** **th** **of November ;)**


	12. Part 2

**~~~~OO~~~~**

 **PART II**

 **..**

 _We are not the only kids who grew up this way_

 _Scarred and beaten_

 _On the skin and within_

 _Trying to kiss the wounded parts of ourselves, t_ _rying to heal_

 _But at night, while the others slept_

 _We kept walking the tightrope_

 _It was practice, they said._

 _And yes, some of us fell._

 _So we grew up believing that no one would ever fall in love with us again_

 _That we'd never meet someone_

 _To make us feel like the sun was something they built for us in their tool-shed_

 _So broken heart-strings bled the blues_

 _As we tried to empty ourselves so we would feel nothing_

 _Don't tell me that hurt less than a broken bone_

 _That this is something that Surgeons can cure away, that there's a way for it to mend..._

 _There is not._

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **A/N: No, no I'm not talented enough to write such an awesome piece of literature. These lines are taken from the poem 'To this Day' by Shane Koyczan. I may have tampered with them a bit but rest, these aren't my words.**

 **And I think a big apology is due from my side to everyone who got tired of waiting around for this one. I'm sorry, I'm really really sorry. Chapter 12 will be updated either on this evening (if I can manage it that is) or tomorrow definitely. I hope you all will like it :)**

 **Lastly, I'm going to change my username soon to _'Wanderer's_Cynefin' or some similar shit_ so watch out for that during the next update. **


	13. Chapter 12

**12**

 **In Prison**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"Goodnight," Tyson whispered as he bent down to kiss June's forehead. She was still unconscious. The others, after a heated talk post Hiro's revelation of June's true identity, had retired to their beds.

They had arrived at this resort - The Four Aromas - a little before three weeks when Hiro, albeit accidentally, discovered the fact that Mr. Dickinson was suffering from liver cancer. It quite explained the sudden isolation he had retired himself to and Tyson knew if they allowed this man to give up this easily, they would never have a peaceful death. Hiro had already passed on the information to everyone - Ray, Max, Kai, Hilary, Kenny and Daichi and the next day he had found all of them on his doorstep ready to do anything to get Mr. Dickinson back on his feet which included a very tedious work of collecting his old school gang, but at the end, it was worth the smile it put on his face. Tyson could swear he had never - in his whole lifetime of knowing Mr. D - seen him that jovial and happy. They discreetly managed to take another opinion on his condition once Katie Russell - his close friend, former love interest and a successful surgeon - deduced about his condition and it was revealed there was still a good percentage of chance for him to live if he underwent a liver transplant.

Mr. Dickinson too, in a state of mild unconsciousness one day, admitted how he didn't want to die and had so many wrongs still to correct, which hardened their resolve further. And when two of the most devilishly intelligent beings - Tala and Hiro - decided that they would make sure Mr. Dickinson agrees for the operation, nothing could come in their way.

Except Boris goddamn Balkov.

In a strange turn of events, Boris Balkov and Voltaire Hiwatari got bailed out of jail by the Hiwatari Corporation after they somehow managed to change the clauses of their punishment. Otherwise who in their right minds would allow those two maniacs out?

Maniacs, because Boris and his minions attacked them twice since getting out - once when June and Kai were returning from the town after finalising lighting arrangements and again when many of them were out taking the old lot to airports and subway channels for their return. Both times, their target had been June, who, unknown to them, had a long history with BioVolt.

The latter encounter had resulted in her present condition. A condition in which she had been unconscious for a whole day, in which they weren't even sure if she'd get up as June again. Where everything hung on a very delicate piece of hope.

Tyson caressed her hairs lightly as he sat by her. It wasn't like he didn't want her to get her memories back. She had full right to her real identity, not the lie he had made her believe on. But that would have consequences. Consequences he'd rather not think about and avoid at all costs. He cast one last glance at her before leaving the room. He couldn't deny how much he had grown to care for her despite everything he suspected and firmly believed she was or could be.

He closed the door to her room when he heard a gunshot. The lights switched off. His hand instantly reached in his pocket to where Dragoon lay. After all that had happened, he had a very good idea of what was going to happen. He turned back to rush to June's side when he heard footsteps echoing down the hallway. Heavy footsteps.

"Isn't it a pleasure to meet me again, Tyson?"

A voice echoed from the end and Tyson whirled back, and launched his beyblade.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

"Why." Tyson demanded; his shoulder wound burning with pain.

Hatred danced in Boris's eyes as he replied, "I owe each one of you a few days of despair."

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

He was running in a dimly lit hallway. He had no sense of direction or where he was supposed to go but he kept running.

The hallway dissolved and he found himself standing in a big room with grey walls. June was standing in the centre, her clothes in tatters and giving enough evidence that she'd been whipped. She had heavy iron shackles around her ankles tying her to the ground.

"...June?" He staggered in his steps. She had been unconscious; she wasn't supposed to be here!

"Brother...?" She would've probably rushed in his arms, but those heavy chains prevented her, clanking with each step she managed to take in her state.

"Please Tyson take me back... I don't want to be here. Let's go before they come back, we _have_ to, please!" Fresh tears streamed down her face. She sounded so desperate, her voice so feeble it broke Tyson to see her like that. He felt he had failed her and at that moment, he couldn't think of saying anything else.

"I'm sorry," He said as he stepped forward and reached out to her, his arms outstretched but she stopped and for the first time, June Granger didn't come rushing in her brother's arms.

"You knew."

Tyson missed a heartbeat. "June w-what?"

She didn't reply and before Tyson could realize what was happening, it was too late. He felt the familiar pounding pain in his head like someone forcing through the layers of his brain. Unfolding them. He wanted to move away but he was rooted to his spot. _She_ rooted him to his spot.

Disbelief, betrayal, rage, confusion, pain... her silver eyes were a myriad of emotions, turning darker and darker with each passing second until they resembled a violent storm in the middle of a sea. The types which swallow ships and men without any mercy.

"You promised me you'd never let go of my hand," her voice was no longer desperate and needy but as cold as her eyes, "Always... you always knew I belonged here and yet after everything we'd been through together how could you not tell me? I trusted you with my life Tyson and you lied! Every fucking time Tyson, you lied! And you promised me... a life without lies Tyson, you promised!"

He wanted to say a million things but it was not his but her brain that controlled him, rooting him to the spot, preventing his every physical movement. She raised her hand, blue curls of psychic energy dancing on her palms.

"I know you sacrificed a lot for me but you made me love a fake persona. You lied and that's what counts. I'm sorry too, Tyson. I'm sorry."

An energy blast hit him straight in the chest and the scene dissolved in darkness.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Tyson woke up gasping for breath and his first thought was that it all had been a dream.

 _It was a dream._ He steadied his breathing as he reassured himself again and again. His chest hurt like he'd been hit by something hard. So did his whole body as if Tyson had a bad fall.

He tried to ignore the pain, telling himself that it will go away; it had just been a dream. It wasn't like he was really confronted with June's psychic energy blast. _She'd never do anything to me_. The thought brought a smile to his lips as he sat up.

 _...or would she?_

A sudden fear rose inside him as he took in his surroundings which he was sure he shouldn't be in. He was in a dimly lit cell with grey walls. The room had a metallic automated door – at least that's what Tyson thought because it resembled those high-tech doors you see in sci-fi movies. The ceiling was made up of light panels glowing dim. In each corner was a tiny black camera.

He looked from camera to camera, trying to stifle the scream and panic building inside him. Terror washed over him, clawing him from inside. He pounded on the door despite knowing that it wasn't of any use.

It hadn't been a dream.

He suddenly became aware of the pain still lingering in his body, in his chest where June had hit him. As his brain became clearer and clearer, he realized all those scenes were too real to have been a dream which meant Boris had been there in the resort that night. He and dragoon had fought, he remembered. They were close to outwit Boris's minions but then that freak Hades had stepped in and ordered to fire the guns and then, all hell broke loose.

It was the memory of his friends that finally calmed him down. No, he cannot show weakness especially when they were watching him, monitoring his every movement. He had to stay cool. He couldn't let them believe that he was breaking. Although a little voice in the back of his brain still worried about June – he hoped at least that part was a dream because it was still fuzzy in his head. Tyson took a few deep breaths and sat down.

There has to be a way. There's always a way.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

He lost track of time sitting in the cell, staring at the walls feeling... nothing. Blank. Like he was hanging somewhere in the middle of two sides and he didn't know what sides they were. _What is one supposed to feel when they look at grey anyway?_

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there and as he continued to stare at the wall having nothing better to do, the door to his cell slid open.

He saw Kai in the hallway that spread outside – his eyes sunken and his frame paler than before with many scratch marks like he had been clawing himself in anxiety and pulling his hairs. He seemed really agitated and... lost. The guards were practically dragging him and it was all so unlike Kai that Tyson went immobile. How long has his friends been suffering while he was out?

Boris stepped in, all smug and arrogant as the door closed behind him. "Good evening, Tyson. You don't know how thrilled I am to see you alive."

Tyson lunged at his throat.

He just had a second to register that he had collided with a barrier when he was just a couple of feet away from Boris before electric sparks ran through his whole body jerking him away.

"Still as brash as ever."

Tyson barely registered Boris's comment. He sat up shakily. He could still feel electricity lingering inside him.

"I presume you have many questions, Tyson," Boris leaned against the closed door as if having a casual conversation with a very old friend, "and I am here to answer them, the ones I feel are worth answering anyway, if you could keep your behaviour in check and not come diving at my throat again."

Tyson stood up, willing his brain to clear up and focus on the moron present. "I wouldn't trust you as far as I can spit," he replied.

Boris cackled. "Thank you but you don't have any other choice."

Tyson hated to admit it but Boris was right. Although he could still lunge and strangle him – they were alone in the cell after all but he could make out the electric barrier that stood between him and Boris. He didn't want to risk coming in contact with it again. Besides, he really didn't have any option than to talk to Boris. He had to figure out a way to get out of here.

"Where are the others? What have you done with them?" Even though he wasn't sure of Boris's truthfulness, Tyson hated to beat around the bush.

"Oh your herd is fine, I haven't touched them," Boris eyes gleamed with an evil twinkle, "...yet."

Tyson clenched his fists. "What happened to Kai?"

Boris sighed dramatically, "I always knew living outside Abbey was bad for him. I guess you know what happened to him – being his best friend and all," At Tyson's confused look, Boris smirked, "You don't? Pity."

He didn't understand what Boris was talking about. Then it hit him - a talk he had with June God knows how many days before. "Drugs," he stated. "But if _you're_ allowing him in substance abuse here-"

"However evil and ingrained in bad stuff we may be, we don't allow the use of such _..._ infernal things _._ Kai has been uncontrollable for some days so they'll probably sedate him unconscious for him to get his bearings straight. Just for a few hours, not much. Though it's rather fun to see him grapple like a hungry dog with my guards but we can't have him kill himself for our enjoyment, can we?"

 _Yes you can._ Tyson prevented himself from saying that out aloud. "You said _days._ How long have I been out?"

"About a fortnight; your little girlfriend is still sick with worry. Pretty nice blast that was, I must say."

Tyson's eyes widened with realisation. "You mean it was all real? June attacked me? She-"

"What sort of name is _June_?" Boris sounded personally offended, but Tyson didn't pay attention to that. June had read his memories. She knew he had lied to her. Always. She knew why they had adopted her in the family. She knew everything. He had to get to her. He _had_ to talk to her.

"Where's June?" he asked, "Where is she?"

Boris raised an eyebrow as a creepy smile spread across his face. He was taking his time and it unnerved Tyson.

"Where _is_ she?! Tell me what have you done with her!?" Tyson thundered, fully ready to strangle Boris once again and he didn't care about the electric barrier but Boris didn't answer. He stood there with his arms crossed like he had all the time in the world and Tyson knew he wouldn't divulge any information unless it was useful for him or...

He took a deep breath. "Please. I beg you. Tell me where she is."

A smirk of victory and Boris replied, "Haven't you guessed? She's dead."

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **A/N: Done as promised! Be sure to tell me how it is guys!**

 **|| Read, Review, Follow and Favourite ||**


	14. Chapter 13

**13**

 **The Mess Meal**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Tyson wasn't sure he'd heard correctly. "Wh-what did you say?"

"I said," Boris said, "she's dead."

It felt like the ground had slipped from below his feet. "I don't believe you."

"Don't then," Boris said smugly, "Though I owe you my gratitude."

At Tyson's confused look, he elaborated, "Science doesn't apply on her until she consents. Because she regained consciousness as _June,_ " Boris spat the name out with disdain, "we had to change her. Erase all her memories of her life with you and give her back her _own_ memories – of the real person she was before BEGA happenings. And until she stepped in the procedure willingly, we couldn't do a thing."

Tyson's throat tightened. Despite so little chances, she had woken up as June. He now realised why June was so beaten up. They had no doubt resorted to force once June did not succumb through talks.

"Thanks to your...ah, motivating encounter, she gave in her willingness to reset her memories. Long story short," Boris turned and knocked on the door, "no one's going to answer when you call out 'sister' again."

A guard opened the door from outside and throwing one last glance at Tyson, Boris stepped out.

"Wait – you –" Tyson started but he was late. He collided straight with the closed door. At least the electric barrier was gone.

He groaned with pain and sat resting his back against the door. A part of him still doubted the credibility of Boris Balkov but deep down, he knew how easily after knowing about his lies June would have agreed to change herself. They had erased everything of June from within that girl killing his only sister in the process.

He suddenly started missing Hilary way too much.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

When his door slid open after probably a whole day of staring at the walls, Tyson was glad to have something as a distraction.

"Mess Meals," The guard said and hoisted Tyson up.

"I can walk on my own," he growled and the guard left his arm. He was dressed in dark blue uniform complete with black boots and gloves. He had two guns – one in his hands, one strapped to his belt and a spear strapped to his back which seemed weird to Tyson.

"What's a Mess Meal?" Tyson asked, trying to clear his head a bit. "I mean I know it has got to do with food."

"Done on every Saturday evening," the guard replied in a very heavy accented voice and definitely in a rather put out tone, "Everyone in the facility is let in the Mess Hall to eat together. Helps to protect the sanity of prisoners and I am not answering anymore questions."

Tyson, who had just opened his mouth to ask something again, clamped it shut.

They walked past three more cells, Tyson guessed some of his friends would be in here – he had seen Ray on his way to washroom earlier. The guard stopped him past the last cell and motioning the other guards positioned outside each cell to have a watch on him, went ahead to punch in codes in the automated fibre glass doors.

He considered making a run for it but in the hallway filled with so many guards and dangerous weapons, he discouraged the idea. Behind him, another cell opened. He was so glad to see Max coming out of it that he wanted to hug the blond to death then and there but he controlled himself. This, perhaps, was not the place.

"Tyson!" Max squealed with delight and the guard shot him a glare. He mumbled an apology and Tyson couldn't help but let the infectious smile of Max Tate spread on his lips. The huge doors slid open and Max and Tyson were taken out one by one. Tyson noticed the doorframe acted like a metal detector because it buzzed when the guards passed by it.

They were not allowed to talk but Tyson felt glad that Max was there. This place had done quite a visible damage to him. Max's whole body was pale like he hadn't eaten in days and his eyes were sunken. Even the new twinkle in them and the morning bath couldn't hide that fact.

They walked down hallways of black marble floors and stone walls, their footsteps echoing in the silence. Tyson tried keeping track of the way but he soon felt his head would explode. There were simply too many turns and crossways... it appeared they were navigating through a maze.

Finally they reached two large oak doors manned by men in jumpsuits who grinned at the guards and pushed the doors open.

"The Mess Hall," Max mouthed to him.

Various groups of people rested inside together, laughing, joking and chatting so freely it almost looked like they had entered a new world. There were drinking challenges and knife throwing contests going on, and the place essentially smelled of fresh salt water. There were several long wooden tables labelled for various people. 'Security Personnel' had guards sitting around; men in black cloaks occupied the one labelled 'Clerics', 'Lab Personnel' had men in white lab coats – scientists – Tyson guessed. There was bound to be a research facility too then. He kept that thought aside for later use.

Another table was labelled as 'Agents' and it had the least number of people and the most normal looking ones – without any specific uniform code. 'Workers' table had men in jumpsuits, like the one who had been manning the oak doors and they seemed to be in a nice debate with the Lab Personnels. Lastly, Tyson spotted the table labelled 'Prisoners'.

No sooner did the guards left after motioning them towards that table, that Max pulled Tyson in a bone-crushing hug. "TYSON! I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU! The way you were sleeping for the past 12 days we thought you were dead!"

Tyson hugged him tighter, but didn't reply. He still felt bitter thinking about June. Max pulled away and put an arm around his shoulder, "Dude, we saw what happened. Don't worry, things will be fine."

Tyson wanted to ask how, but they had reached the table and everyone welcomed him with smiling faces and all the questions were forgotten. Tala, Daichi and Kenny sat there with many other prisoners – all dressed in sky blue shirts and pants. His friends were definitely looking paler and smaller since he had last seen them. Again, the early morning baths couldn't quite cover the damage this place was inflicting upon them.

"Here's our Sleeping Beauty," greeted Tala, "Who kissed you awake, princess?"

"Shut up." Tyson laughed. Daichi jumped over him and Kenny hugged him. After a bit of chatting up, Max and Daichi started to play with spoons pretending them to be swords. Tyson smiled at seeing them. _Kids._

" _I haven't touched them...yet."_

His feet felt numb as Tyson forced that voice out of his head. He didn't want to think what Boris could or could not do to his friends. And at that precise moment, someone approached their table and he'd be damned if he thought of anything else in her presence.

Hilary was standing there wearing that beautiful smile with just the right amount of happiness and excitement that even though she had been his girlfriend for over a year now, Tyson's heart did a big somersault upon seeing her. She was wearing light blue pants of the standard prisoner uniform and a black t-shirt so she stood out from other prisoners. Her hairs were a mess, messier that June and that was saying something. She probably hadn't slept for days; there were dark circles under her eyes, but she was still the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

He jumped to his feet, toppling off two chairs, and threw his arms around her and almost as if on instinct, her arms wrapped around his waist. He ignored all the guards who had their weapons out in a flash. For a while nothing else mattered. A meteor could've fallen and wiped out half of human population and Tyson wouldn't have cared. Because in that moment, he felt himself lighten up from the entire load he was carrying inside him. All the guilt, worry, bitterness, anger and resentment – it just seemed to vanish away by her touch.

How did she have this effect on him? He would never know. But he suddenly realized how alone he truly had been those last days and how much he had missed her.

And then, Hilary pulled away and punched Tyson square in the face.

"What-"

She grabbed him by his collar, her face inches from him. "I swear to God Tyson, if you _ever_..." her voice trailed away as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Tyson understood without her saying. Max had said that they had seen his encounter with June which meant Hilary had seen him getting blasted away. He had been unconscious for 12 days and considering how isolated prisoners were kept here locked up in cells Hilary would've known nothing about how he was. If he had been in her place, he would be dying with worry too. Not to mention her punch hurt badly.

"Never," he promised and Hilary hugged him again, silent tears hitting his shoulder.

He didn't want to leave her, he had missed her terribly. But the guards, workers and clerics were glaring and frowning at them. They had taken up too much time. And he didn't want to test the patience of these people.

He placed a light kiss on her cheek and they both sat down at the table, Tyson still holding her hand.

Ray and Kai were brought in soon after that along with some other prisoners. As soon as the announcements were made for the guards to line up for food and the dudes in Dark Blue uniform lined up like trained ants, the big doors of the Hall were closed.

Tyson looked around. There was no sign of Hiro. He started to get up but Max pulled him down.

"Don't. Hiro won't come," Max said, not meeting his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

Max glanced at Ray and Tala. An understanding passed between them like _it's time._ Ray nodded to them and spoke to Tyson – "I think you should know this Tyson... Hiro is being kept under special supervision directly under Boris. Last Mess Meal, Hades told us so. You remember him, right?"

"Of course I bloody remember that bastard," _How could he not?_ "But why Hiro? What's he done to them?"

"BEGA," Hilary said. Tyson looked at her incredulously, "You're telling me this is some revenge bullshit?"

"Sort of," she said, "But mainly..." she took a deep breath and looked around. Tala nodded to her. "We all have been brought here because we know the secret of Boris."

"What secre- Oh. June."

"Yes," Kenny shifted in his seat. "Hades clearly said that the first time they attacked, they only wanted June back but since we knew too much about her, we had to be removed from the scene too. It's only my guess, but I think BioVolt has been using her powers since a long time. Back in the first championship to create artificial bit-beasts and then with BEGA to... I don't know. But I have been researching her powers since past three years and I can guarantee she has billions of uses."

"That still doesn't explain why we are here." Either he had gone insane and was unable to understand anything going on, or was Boris.

"It does," Kai said at last. He crossed his arms over his chest. "We – especially you Tyson – led the side against Boris every time. He wouldn't want us knowing and propagating... his _secret weapon_."

"So... if Hiro and I hadn't told you guys about June, you wouldn't be here?" That was it. It was his entire fault. It had to be. No one ever knew about June before that vacation and everything had been fine till then.

"No – Tyson -" Hilary turned him so that he faced her, "No one is blaming you, alright? None of us. And you also must not. We all knew that once Boris and Voltaire come out of Jail they will break havoc. It's not your fault and you're not going to believe anyone who says otherwise. Even that thick stupid brain of yours. Understand?"

"No. It's my fault. I shouldn't have pulled you all in this mess."

"No," At times like this, Tyson couldn't decide whether he liked Hilary's bossy attitude or not. "Even if you didn't tell us, we'd have known eventually. And if not for June, this way or the other we all were destined to land in somewhere like this because Boris and Voltaire wouldn't die without having a revenge. But now, we have to concentrate to getting out of here because at least I don't want to spend a whole life in that grey cell and for that you – Tyson Granger – need to keep a clear head." She finished and stared straight in his eyes, daring him to say anything else.

Tyson looked around at his friends. Ray gave him a terse nod and Max patted him. "Fine," he muttered at last and if not anything else, it was worth that smile that spread on Hilary's face.

"Are you sure you can clear your head, Tyson?" Daichi quipped, pointing his spoon at him, "Wouldn't you require ten brooms for sweeping that much rubbish?"

"At least its lot less than 75 brooms that you would require," Tyson said, and he noticed even Kai's lips turning in a thin smile.

" _But... But he takes drugs! I saw it... in his mind... If you're not an idiot you too should've guessed that Hilary's rejection can't be the only reason for his breakdown! Your friend's addicted!"_

Tyson forced down the guilt welling up inside him as he remembered how desperate June had sounded when she told him that and he had elected not to believe it. But then, had he ever truly believed her?

One of the guys in jumpsuit barked an order for them to line up for food and they obliged. As they inched forward in the line of 30 prisoners, Tala struck up a conversation with another prisoner. The food smelled appetizing and it was enough to lift Tyson's spirit a teensy little bit. They went back to their table and as they gorged in the food, Tala relayed what he had learned.

"This whole facility is built underground and it has served as the secret headquarters of BioVolt for years. It's called-"

"I thought InterPol clamped it down!" Ray said in a hushed tone.

" _BioVolt_ was shut down but because no one knows about the existence of this place, it was left unharmed by any of the events. They call it 'Kryptos'" At Max's confused look, Tala sighed, "It's Greek for 'hidden'. There's camera surveillance 24x7–"

"Noticed that much," Daichi muttered.

"– and 12 inch steel walls separating various zones. We are in the South Zone – it comprises of Prison Compound, Mess Hall and the Training Arena."

"What's Training Arena?" Tyson asked but Tala ignored.

"Entry in the Prison Compound is only by logging in special codes which are changed daily. None of the prisoners have been out of the South Zone since long so they don't know what awaits there."

"Okay... sounds like it's going to be tough getting out of here," Kenny's comment pretty much summed what was going in everyone's mind. "Only if I had Dizzy...Argh!"

Suddenly the big oak doors flew open and in strode the person Tyson least wanted to see.

Hades strutted inside as if he fucking owned this place.

People saluted him, the clerics gave a him brief nod and greeted him. The occupants of the hall suddenly seemed to go stiffer than they previously were. Laughing and chatting hushed down noticeably. Most of the people weren't meeting his eyes.

He threw his cloak off and ordered two plates of food to be prepared as he lounged on his chair at ease titling it back on two legs. Dark hairs, sea-green eyes and rippling muscles, Hades was rather handsome in a rugged sort of way.

Every ounce of Tyson's blood wanted to confront him, or kill him preferably. He didn't notice that he had been gripping his spoon way too hard until Hilary nudged him in side. Hades was walking towards them.

"So," he said, all haughty and smug, "how are our special prisoners? Having fun, I hope?"

"You bastard!"

"Tyson, no!" Hilary shouted but Tyson was up and had Hades with the scruff of his neck. The guards dining there had their weapons out again and closed in on their table. Hades raised a hand to stop them from shooting.

"What have you done with my brother? WHERE IS HE?!" Tyson roared.

"Oh he's fine," Hades said, "He just has to pay for betraying us."

Tyson was white with rage. He raised his hand to punch Hades square in the face when there was a _'Boom!',_ a blue light and Tyson was blasted off 10 feet towards the wall.

"Tyson!" Hilary and Max shouted at the same time and ran towards him. The guards blocked them mid-way with their spears. Some others hoisted Tyson up. It had just been a big bang push, Tyson wasn't bleeding but he had hit the wall hard and that was going to bruise badly.

He got up dazed but his eyes were wide with realization. That was an energy blast! It wasn't as hard as the previous one that made him sleep for 12 days, but damn, it hurt. He looked up at his attacker, his heart thumping in his chest.

She stood at the entrance of the hall, her hand outstretched and blue curls of energy dancing around her palm. Her purple hairs were worn down in a braid though he could still see wisps of black - courtesy of the hair colour that he used to make June wear to disguise her. She had a dagger strapped to her belt and her grey t-shirt was soaked in sweat. He found her eyes distracting - steel silver, alert and intense with a haunted, scary emptiness to them - he thought he had recently seen them somewhere else but couldn't quite pinpoint where.

All in all, he was looking at a person he knew yet did not know.

The whole Hall went dead silent and everyone stood up acknowledging her presence. Only Hades seemed unaffected.

"I would like to know," he said walking towards her, "just what made you think I needed saving?" His tone was amused but authoritative, like someone commanding a subordinate.

She lowered her hand and spoke in Russian. Hades's expression turned grim and angry with each passing word. When she finished, he turned to address the whole hall.

"Everyone, positions!" He glared at them, the prisoners as if they were the cause for everything wrong in this world, "We have an emergency. Command Sequence 14 activated!"

 **~~~~OO~~~~**


	15. Chapter 14

**14**

 **Burned**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

There was uproar. Guards, clerics and the guys in jumpsuits hoisted their weapons, lined up and started moving out hurriedly. Some guards took up their positions and huddled the prisoners in a corner – handcuffing, gagging and daring them to say a word lest they wanted to die a painful death. Tyson too was squashed between Max and Kai.

Tyson still stared at _her._ He had always considered June as the happy-going, optimistic, playful girl with a slight temper and careless attitude - your typical normal teenage girl. But _she_ looked more like someone who would rob normal teenage girls at knifepoint in alleys.

However hard he tried, he couldn't think of her as someone separate from June but he knew it was not right. If she had gotten her memories back, then she wouldn't remember him at all. He no longer had any relation with her and coming to think of it, he actually never had.

All of a sudden, Hades pulled out a guard from the line moving out and pinned him down on the ground, his knee on the guard's chest.

Tyson was looking at that commotion and he didn't even notice a dagger flying straight at him. It hit the man in front of him – who was halfway standing up – in the abdomen and he fell down groaning with pain. June - for the time being, maybe he could refer to her by that name - pressed her feet on his throat, just enough to keep him subdued.

The Mess Hall was empty by now except for the prisoners, a dozen guards flanking around them and a few workers who had stayed to clean the hall and secure the half-eaten food.

"You both," Hades said addressing the guard beneath him and the man hit by knife, his voice dangerously cold, "have broken the rules of this place by helping Alexander Papov to run away despite knowing how we treat traitors here. You won't be forgiven at all and I'm really sorry that your fate doesn't lie in my hands." He cocked his head sideways, "What should we do with them, my Persephone?"

The trapped guy's face left all the colour as he turned his head to look at June awaiting her decision. June's lips curled in a creepy smile and hatred danced in her eyes as she replied, "Burn them."

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Once inside the Prison Compound, they were all thrown in their cells one by one.

Kai sat down with his back against the wall. The alarms were still ringing in the background. Alexander Papov... Kai knew it had to be that Alexander whom Tyson thrashed down years ago in their first tour through the Balkov Abbey. But why would he be here? Kai had assumed that he too would've been allotted a foster home or boarding school like the other kids of the Abbey were.

It seemed not. Thinking back, Kai realised why he felt some faces, the workers and guards and even a couple of prisoners, seemed familiar. The kinds where you feel you've seen those people somewhere, but don't exactly remember when or where. Except _her_... and he tried not to think about her.

The alarms stopped. For a moment everything was quiet and still. But then the side walls of his cell started sliding down and Kai cursed under his breath. He hated what was going to happen now.

With the walls now halfway down, he could see Ray in the cell to his right standing with a grim expression. "They caught him."

"Definitely," Tala agreed from the cell to his left. There weren't any cells left now though. It was just like an endless circular passage.

After all the walls slid down in the ground, the wall opposite the door of their cells turned transparent. Kai stood up reluctantly just as Tyson, Hilary and Max arrived there too, Tyson with an expression of awe on his face.

"This is insane," he muttered, gazing down the now transparent wall.

"This was how we saw... you know, you and June..." Max trailed off as Tyson stood quietly, staring. Kai guessed he now got the answer to what is the Training Arena.

Below them was what broadly resembled a big stadium. Not that big, but a sufficient size. Its floor was cracked and creaked in places and a big white circle was painted in the middle. It looked suspiciously stone, Kai mused, and it sure had seen a lot of damage. He subconsciously wondered how old this place was.

The now transparent walls of the prison cells circled around it in three rows, like round corridors. Uneven rock walls rose several feet above them. From the stone roof dangled orange lanterns, giving the whole place a spooky Halloween feeling. Out of whatever little Kai had seen of this facility, this Arena seemed the odd wheel out because of its traditionalist design, very opposite to the mammoth of steel, concrete and glass that somehow BioVolt had managed to build under the ground.

Prisoners stood around together in groups of two or four. The lanterns grew brighter and the guards started pouring in the arena. Alexander Papov was kicked inside; he was screaming all sorts of curses in Russian. The voices were clearly audible to them, despite the thick glass barrier and height. The guards threw him in the centre along with the guard and the man they had caught in the Mess hall.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Hades announced in a very jolly tone, "Today we ordered your presence to let you witness what happens to those prisoners who try to get out of here without our consent. And of course to those who aid them. I know this is not the first time this 'show' is being conducted but I believe some of us need to be reminded of it again. I hope you have a good time!"

"They aren't literally going to burn them, right?" Daichi wondered aloud just as some workers began pouring kerosene on the three accused, "Or are they?"

Hades went aside and stood a little too close to June – not touching her but sure leaving a sour taste in Kai's mouth. The three accused weren't even tied just beaten badly, rendering them unable to even move. And... Kai was sure human limbs weren't supposed to bend that way.

"Shall we do the honours?" Hades looked sideways at June as the workers finished drowning Alexander and his accomplices in kerosene. She nodded - Kai could see she was amused, excited even perhaps if he was rightly discerning her guarded expressions - and they both made way to the centre of the arena.

The spectators cheered and chorused. The lights dimmed to a minimum as June and Hades lit a match and dropped it on the bodies of the 'traitors'.

It took a blink of an eye for their clothes to catch on to fire. Flames rose high and fast in the mild darkness. The guards, workers, clerics and agents – all surrounded them, mocking them and how much ever Alexander tried to burn them too by getting too close, he never succeeded. Their screams echoed in the whole arena, sending a chill down the spine.

One of the guards yelled – "Ya guys 'ill be forgiven if ya put out the fire!"

Other spectators cheered and howled in support. As the 'show' continued on, it made Kai's insides turn as to how cruel these people could be. And if the traitors somehow managed to put out a bit of fire by rolling on the ground, more kerosene would be poured on them or June would lift them in the air with her Telekinesis and others would shoot them for fun.

Kenny was coiled by the door and Ray and Tyson stood by him, muttering soothing words but Kai could see Tyson's own face was chalky. Words barely passed his mouth. Daichi was clinging to Tala and despite the fact that Tala hated physical contact, he had a protective arm around Daichi. Max and Hilary were pacifying an elder prisoner who by the words he spoke in Russian – Kai discerned – was the guard's father.

The scene was horrible and even though Kai maintained a stoic pose with his arms crossed over his chest, he couldn't help but think how the Granger girl he knew wasn't like this. He remembered her smile and how it was so contracting to this vicious smirk he was now seeing.

 _But this isn't that little annoying brat you once knew,_ a small voice at the back of his head said, _Granger was just a lie. Her whole existence was a lie. The reality is what you see, now and here._

And he couldn't agree less as he watched her standing beside Hades, laughing along at the three men covered in fire crying for help; not even able to move. Their groans and shouts of pain soon vanished in the sea of laughter and cheers of the sadist spectators.

Kai knew he won't be able to sleep tonight. And he doubted if anyone else would.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Tyson steadied his still trembling hand and knocked on the door. "I need to use the bathroom!"

It was whole minute after the door to his cell was opened. A guard stood there, probably in his late thirties. "Come."

About 5 minutes later, Tyson emerged from the washroom wiping his hand on his shirt. As he walked back to his cell with the guard in tow, he saw a figure making its way towards the fiberglass doors of the Prison Compound. He didn't have to think twice about who it was.

"Ju-" He stopped mid sentence. Partly because the guard beside him tightened his grip on his arm as a warning to not to say anything and partly because...

Would she turn if he called out? Why would she? She doesn't remember him after all. She wasn't his June. And after what she did today with Alexander, a large part of him was convinced that her June had died inside that body and this person in front of him... It was someone he never knew and never wanted to know. His suspicions had been correct and more than what he had guessed.

He staggered ahead to his cell, consciously aware of her moving out of the glass doors which buzzed on her exit. Hades stood on the other side waiting for her. As they departed, he went inside his cell, the scenes of June being tortured by Hades all of a sudden whirling inside his brain.

"Listen man," the guard, who had taken him to the washroom, stepped inside and bent low to talk to him. Tyson looked at him quizzically.

"Just keep your head low, ok? And..." He turned his head to the side gazing in the direction she and Hades had went, "Try to steer clear from their way. That pair's a bloody psychopath and would love to have an excuse to tear you down limb by limb. And no one here is gonna take your side. Get it?"

Tyson knew he was referring to the fight he was going to pull with Hades in the Mess Meal earlier. He raised an accusing finger at him. "Why do _you_ care? You definitely were there laughing at Alexander. Why would you care if another prisoner gets burned like that?"

The guard sighed, years of strain and disciplined training visible in worry lines over his forehead. "Look, I don't expect you to understand the working of this place. But you'll soon get the bits and pieces of it. Just keep your head low, ok? Think this as an advice from your elder brother."

And before Tyson could reply, he strode out closing the door behind him.

Tyson was left alone in his cell, with a strange feeling twisting his insides. Till now, he had tried not to think about Hiro because that made him anxious and angry. True, his and Hiro's relationship had not always been a piece of cake, but the past years had changed everything. He definitely believed Hiro to be strong enough to face anything Boris threw in his face but still... he was worried. Despite the history between them, he was worried. For a moment, he even doubted that if Hiro and sided with Boris again... but then he shoved the thought out of his head. He'd have to keep faith on his brother. Even though 90 percent of him didn't want to. Even if the past years had changed everything. _Consequences..._ He knew there'd be consequences once June regains her memories, once Boris comes out again. He just wasn't ready for them now.

Voices emerged in the background. Tyson guessed yet another training session had started in the Arena below them as he heard the faint sounds of Hades barking orders and rounds of guns being fired and cries of one-on-one battles beginning.

He lay down on the cold floor staring in darkness, eyes wide open. Perhaps he could think of a way to get out of here, save Hiro and not get himself burned in the process like Alexander.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **A/N: A big thanks to everyone who's reading this story and special thanks to CuteTyhil, Rock the Road, Unaisa Memon, Guest and Randomidiots for dropping a review in the previous chapter. I'm sorry couldn't reply to it personally, but honestly guys it means so much ;)**

 **Any confusions, doubts or explanations needed, just drop a review or PM me ;) Till the next chapter,**

 **|| Read, Review, Follow, Favourite||**


	16. Chapter 15

**15**

 **Through the window**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

The snowflakes blew across the road, as light as powdered sugar. It was just early winter snow; it would be gone in the morning. But still he quickened his pace in case the snow started falling hard.

He reached the hospital and marched straight in. It was warmer inside but Voltaire Hiwatari preferred to keep his cloak and scarf on. After the recent events, even the brick walls would recognise his face.

He hadn't planned on being here; he'd never imagine himself being in the same country as Stanley Dickinson – the man who was the reason for his 5 long years in jail – much less standing in the same building. But yet he was here thinking all these things vaguely, with a secret hope to accomplish what he was looking for, as he enquired the receptionist about one Stanley Dickinson.

"Are you a relative?" The lady enquired with a friendly smile.

"Friend," he put on his best tone of voice and a charming expression. Fuck the things one had to do to pass as that old moron's friend. "Could you tell me the ward he is staying in?" He didn't even remember the last time he had been this good to anyone.

"Sure," she said. Voltaire thought she blushed.

She checked the computer and turned to him, "Mr. Dickinson is in ward no. 42 on the second floor and... I'm sorry he has a surgical appointment soon so you won't be able to stay long – 10 minutes at most."

He nodded. "That's not a problem. Thank you."

"Oh—um...you're welcome." She _was_ blushing. Voltaire left the reception with an awkward feeling in his stomach. Either the receptionist was a big flirt, or he was still unusually handsome with an attractive manly voice.

He preferred the second option and trying to control the weird lopsided smile his mouth had twisted in (he was glad for the scarf), shoved the thought out of his head. He definitely was above such insignificant and trivial things. But that receptionist was beautiful.

Ward no. 42 was a small hospital room situated in a lone side of the hallway – conveniently near the operation theatres. Voltaire didn't know which disease Dickinson was diagnosed with, but he could guess it was a fatal one and now his new favourite.

The area around the ward was quite airy and virtually empty. He was thankful for that. He was able to hear every word being spoken inside as he carefully stood near the open window of the ward, prying on the talks.

Dickinson was reclining inside on the bed and the man looked nothing like Voltaire remembered him. His face had turned a shade of yellow and lost the entire enthusiastic shine it had. His eyes were sunken and body so weak that Voltaire felt the man was literally on his deathbed.

Ryu Granger sat nearby, his shoulders sagged – no more the hyperactive old grandfather of Tyson Granger he remembered him to be. He noticed other people whom he definitely didn't know. One of them resembled Tyson and his grandfather a lot though.

"...seeing you alive was their last wish," Ryu Granger was saying, every word seemed like a big effort on his part, "I know you don't want to go for this transplantation, but at least you could honour the last thing the kids so wanted."

Several seconds of silence passed before Dickinson answered. "I know... but I still don't want to live when all _my_ children are dead."

"You can't believe whatever this says," the man whom Voltaire found very resembling to Tyson and his grandfather, stood, snatched a page Dickinson was holding, crumpled it and threw it out of the window so it landed straight near Voltaire's feet. "I certainly don't believe it and I'm going to fight till my last breath to prove this wrong. They are not dead."

"How many times will we have to go over this?" A blond woman said, her voice threatening to break at every word. He vaguely recognised her. Wasn't she involved with PPB? "Even I don't want to believe all this but is that going to change anything? Every speck of cloth that was found in the rubble, every piece of skin and limbs... I got it checked thrice by the very best pathologists and every time it was the same results. Every goddamn time! By denying the facts, we are in no way bringing them back."

There was shuffling of feet, a ward-boy came and notified everyone that visiting time was over. Voltaire made sure to clear out of the way so no one could see him but he picked the paper that was thrown at his feet out of curiosity. The guests in the room stood silent for a minute, then wishing Dickinson and muttering some last words, moved out one by one. Only an old lady was left inside sitting by the bedside holding Dickinson's hand while the nurses prepared him to be taken to the operation theatre.

Voltaire scoffed at the scene and straightened out the page. It was from a newspaper dated 5 November - 15 days old from today.

...

 **TOP BEYBLADERS DEAD IN BOMB BLAST NEAR TOKYO,**

 **CRIMINAL MASTERMIND BORIS BALKOV SUSPECTED**

 _By Special correspondent, 'The Japan Daily'_

 _ **Nov 5**_ _ **–**_ _Most famous beybladers of the decade - Tyson Granger, Kai Hiwatari, Max Tate, Raymond Kon, Tala Valkov and Daichi Sumeragi were found dead in a bomb blast near Tokyo last night. Among the dead are also Beyblade technician Kenny Saien; Hiro Granger, next head of BBA; June Granger, adoptive sister of the Granger siblings and Hilary Tachibana, previous manager of the G-Revolutions, much known personality in the beyblade world and girlfriend of the famous Tyson Granger._

 _The cause of explosion is still being investigated. 'The Four Aromas' where the bomb blast took place at midnight, lost whole of its western side along with 3 of its staff. Located a few hundred kilometres outside Tokyo, the beybladers were here on a vacation and were going to return to the main city today morning. The manager of the resort has shared that the beybladers were attacked twice before – once near the small town downhill and again on 2_ _nd_ _November in the resort, after which the resort was on high police alert for the duration of their stay._

 _Boris Balkov is highly suspected of being behind the bomb blast and is outrightly being blamed by many notable personalities of the beyblade world after the manger too confirmed his involvement in the last attack on Beybladers on 2_ _nd_ _November._

 _Boris Balkov - accused of using sports for World Domination and running a fake 'training centre' was bailed out of the Russian jail a few days ago along with his accomplice – Voltaire Hiwatari whose grandson Kai Hiwatari is also among the dead ones..._ _ **Continued on Page 5.**_

...

Many images of the resort after explosion accompanied the article, as did images of the 'dead' beybladers. He crumpled the paper and threw it in a bin nearby. This news was getting on his last nerve. Wherever you turn these days, people were talking about this blaming him and Boris. But he had to admit Boris had played bad this time. Tricking people in grief is one of the cruelest tricks a person can play, he had learned that very well in his well-known evil career. The families of the dead didn't even get bodies to bury, only pieces of limbs and singed clothes.

He waited until Dickinson was taken to the operation theatre then made his way to the elevators.

Outside the building, a man with a black cloak and purple hairs waited for him. Exactly how he had expected because Boris for one, wouldn't miss an opportunity to see Dickinson in despair.

"Got caught up exchanging pleasantries? I never thought you to be the 'Best Wishes' types."

Voltaire gave a grunt in response causing the man to bark a short laughter. Over time, Boris had become more of 'not-interested-in-formalities' types, which for someone like Voltaire, was not a pleasant change.

They started walking down the road and Voltaire decided to get straight on the point. "Where have you kept them?"

Boris's face took up a serious expression coupled with a sly smirk if that was even possible, as he looked straight ahead. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You do," Voltaire hated when Boris was evasive, "They are not dead. Where have you kept them?"

"And what brings you on that conclusion?" Boris was positively smirking by now. Voltaire so wanted to punch his face.

"You have worked with me for ages. I recognise your plans."

"Oh really?" Boris stopped near a coffee stall and bought two cups. He offered one to him. "Enlighten me."

Voltaire took the cup with a huff of frustration."You removed the beybladers from the resort and kept some dead bodies in their place which I am assuming you got from some cheap morgue. Wrapped their clothes on the bodies and detonated the bomb after clearing the station."

"Simple and effective," Boris nodded and took a sip from his coffee, "Although you missed the part where I had to manipulate the pathologists for the DNA reports."

"Manipulate?" Voltaire raised an eyebrow. Boris mouthed 'Guess' and Voltaire swore under his breath, " _Of_ _course_ you have the bitch back with you."

Boris grinned in response. No wonder the bastard was happy. Several minutes passed as they walked in silence. "Where are they then?" He asked for the third time.

Boris finished his coffee. "Kryptos," he replied simply as he threw his cup in the litter.

Voltaire cursed inwardly. He so hated that place. He had always known Boris had kidnapped the beybladers and made the world believe that they were dead but he hadn't thought he would keep them at Kryptos. It was a good option because no one knew about the place but...

"That is the base of your activities. How is it safe to keep them that close?"

Boris laughed again, "Seriously, when was the last time you visited Kryptos?"

The answer was ages ago. Voltaire didn't particularly fancy that place. He much preferred to stay in the headquarters of BioVolt, participating in conferences and meetings than descending into the darkness of that place. Kryptos had always been a very big asset for them no doubt, but the place was enough to drive a man crazy. To say it was a sanctuary for all the top-notch criminals of the world would be putting it in mild terms. Heck, he would choose Balkov Abbey over Kryptos anytime.

He remembered back when they had made Kryptos years ago – brought it in physical existence – Boris was very passionate about it. He had personally overlooked its construction and its architecture hiring and firing several architects and engineers and changing the designs again and again so that no one exactly knew how the Kryptos was like except him. Sure the people residing there navigated it every day, but Voltaire could bet all his gold that there were several secrets of that place that only Boris knew. Later, due to a mishappening, Boris opted to stay at the newly instated Abbey they planned on making a Beyblade Training institute which later he named Balkov Abbey and Voltaire took over the responsibilities of Kryptos but even then, he rarely made visits to that place.

"They won't do any harm," Boris said after a while, "I didn't make the place a labyrinth for amusement purposes." Voltaire raised an eyebrow at that but Boris continued, "Besides, Kryptos was the only place where I could ensure they were being treated... _fairly_."

Voltaire didn't like the sound of it and it didn't help that Boris had that mad twinkle in his eyes. He didn't give a cent about what happened to the beybladers but...

"You have my sorry excuse for a grandson in there too."

"Yes. So?" Boris tossed it easily in the air but Voltaire knew he was watching him, waiting for a reaction.

Voltaire had to mentally count to ten to maintain his patience. He really missed the good old days when he could boss around this bastard. "I need Kai Hiwatari out. I'm all for inflicting whatever torture you want to on those brats, but I want you to spare my grandson."

Boris looked amused. Very amused. "It might have escaped your notice but I don't take orders from anyone anymore, Mr. Hiwatari. Neither do I care what others want me to do unless I want the same."

That was it. Boris had been too evasive, too uncontrollable. Voltaire growled, "Listen Balkov, if you don't want me dissolving all your secrets and plans for a third World domination scheme to the InterPol, you will do as I say."

"Ooh you're full of surprises today, Mr. Hiwatari. Are you sure you are the same person who kicked his own son out of the family and threw his 4 year-old grandson at my feet with an order to... what was that? 'Make him the world's best bey-blader and I don't care if he dies'?"

Voltaire glared at Boris. "You have no idea how much I know about you Boris Balkov and what damage I can do."

Boris scoffed, "Oh really? What will you do Mr. Hiwatari? Go to InterPol and ramble about my plans for 'third World Domination' scheme? Ha! You won't be able to prove anything because there's no such plan. And don't even think for a second that they're going to believe you assuming you even reach the office."

Voltaire hadn't even registered the meaning of those words when red laser dots appeared all over him. He looked around frantically, they were in middle of a very quiet street and on the rooftops of the building around and he could make out hunched figures, waiting for orders to shoot the life out of him.

Boris laughed at the mixture of shock, anger and fear in Voltaire's face. "If those last two attempts of World Domination did any good, it was to bring the Underworld to my feet. After all, if you can almost destroy the whole world using children's toy, what all can you do with real weapons."

"I am well aware of the dangers you possess to me, Mr. Hiwatari," Boris continued with an amused expression. Voltaire guessed he had wanted this ever since he joined him. "And that is why I'm afraid you have to be removed from the stage. So brace yourself, you are going for a nice trip down to Kryptos."

"You bastard..." Voltaire muttered through gritted teeth as 4 armed assassins emerged from every direction pointing guns at him. "At least I do want to correct the wrong I did. But _you_ still are the same git who-"

Boris's eyes flashed with anger because he _knew_ what Voltaire was going to say and it was probably too late that Voltaire realised he shouldn't have brought the topic on as a bullet hit him in the chest. The last thing that he saw was Boris's eyes swimming in anger as he fell on the ground.

 _Better to die than being taken to Kryptos_ , he thought before he allowed himself to be swallowed in darkness.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **A/N: Well well, I thought a chapter showing the outside world was due after all ;) Because things are stirring outside too while our heroes remain captured in Kryptos. Hope you liked the chapter and as always, thanks to everyone who's reading this. Till the next one,**

 **|| Read, Review, Follow, Favourite ||**


	17. Chapter 16

**16**

 **How can you hold your ground when everyone wants to bury you beneath it?**

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Voltaire was supposed to die.

Boris had shot him; he definitely remembered the anger in Boris's eyes as he had fired the bullet on him. And yet he found himself in these surroundings with bandages over his chest where the bullet had hit.

It had taken him a while to realise that he wasn't dead, but instead in a cell in Kryptos. It wasn't a prison cell which did nothing to comfort his panicking heart. It had grey walls and ceilings with light panels like most of the Kryptos cells and rooms but unlike most he had seen, from the ceiling hanged lanterns glowing golden, giving the room a pleasant aura. The whole room was air-conditioned and decorated with Christmas lightings and Santa hats. It had a single bed, a study table splattered with books and a wardrobe despite which, socks, shoes and shirts were carelessly thrown here and there.

Even though Voltaire was miffed by the fact that a person such as himself wasn't supposed to be in this _undignified_ , _modest_ _place,_ he couldn't help arriving at the conclusion that someone probably actually lived here. Lived, not existed.

And of _bloody_ course he was tied by a chain in the _fucking_ corner on the _fucking_ floor.

As he sat there tired, hungry and exhausted, the door to the room opened. A well-built man with dark hairs and sea-green eyes stepped in and Voltaire got the sinking suspicion that he probably knew him. With his head held high, Voltaire regarded him warily as the man offered him a smile and crouched in front of him, his smile strangely turning in a creepy sneer.

"God knows," he said, lightly stroking Voltaire's left ankle, his cold fingers sending shivers up his spine, "I've waited too long for this chance."

His eyes widened as realisation dawned upon Voltaire but it was too late. Too late from stopping the man in front of him do to him what he himself had done to him years ago.

With a piercing glare, Hades twisted his ankle and a horrible crack cut through the air like a gunshot as Voltaire screamed. His old ankle had broken and the pain was too much to bear – the pain of the realisation that this was just the _beginning_.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

At first Tyson tried to keep track of the days but 24 hours do seem like a lifetime when you're stuck staring at grey walls in a 10x10 cell with cameras staring back at you.

Apart from his thoughts on June and Hiro, sometimes Tyson marvelled what those people behind the cameras thought and felt about them. The most famous beybladers of the decade caught in little cells like lab rats fumbling with the locks and punching the walls; desperate to get out but hopeless in doing so. Boris would be having a laugh.

He had realised he was getting a bit forgetful, so he tried to remember the events that happened. Like he knew it had been three days since he saw Max. It had been that day that his head had been smashed in the mirror in the washroom and he was forced to stand there for hours repeating, 'I am a dog'.

He had thought they were just ridiculing him for daring to talk back. But after he was excused from the 'punishment' he realized how bad it had been. His knees were stiff and feet paining of course, but after that, every time he closed his eyes he saw himself standing in front of a mirror and calling himself a dog.

He hadn't had any sleep after that day.

And the screams which kept reverberating off the walls didn't help either.

Some were just imaginary echoes, he had realized – sounds which weren't there in real but kept echoing in his head so he felt that they were real. Alexander. That Guard who aided him. The Prisoner who had died with them. It seemed like the screams were bouncing off back and forth everywhere, getting smaller and smaller but never really disappearing. Like a part of them still screamed for help. And they just stood there - watching three bodies go up in flames.

Heck, he had seen things worse than that. He had seen the world nearly being destroyed twice for God's sake and yet he was here being slowly driven insane by the deaths of three people he barely knew. He shuddered when he thought about how others had managed to survive here. They had been thriving in these cells since much longer. If he was being affected so much and it hadn't even been a week, his friends... he didn't dare think any more.

Tyson stared at the empty plate that the guard had left in his cell. They hadn't given him any food since... God knows when. Somewhere between trying to keep his sanity, he had lost count of how many meals he had.

After what would've probably been a couple of hours, the door to his cell slid open and a guard motioned him to come out.

They took him to the toilets where he found Ray with another guy with auburn hairs, also a prisoner, glaring at the guards. Bottles of liquid toilet cleaner, microfiber cloths, paper towels and three toothbrushes were splattered on the floor at their feet.

"You all have to clean the toilets. The faster you do, the faster you get food."

Unless Tyson's ears were deceiving him, that was what he heard. He looked at the supplies again. Other things were fine, but there was a _toothbrush_ not a _toilet-brush_ there... What exactly were they expecting them to do?

Ray started protesting, though it was clear he was struggling to keep his voice calm. He had bruises on his face and arms which Tyson tried hard not to pay attention on, as he too refused to do what they asked.

The guards laughed at their objections and even though Tyson hated to admit that, it sent a chill up his spine. He knew how vulnerable they were and even though he refused to back down, he decided just to be cautious enough to not get another Mirror Punishment.

But perhaps the realization came too late.

One of the guards grabbed him by his hairs. Ray leaped to help but other guards were faster than him. They held him tight, restrained him and he was forced to stand and watch as Tyson's head was shoved down in a toilet.

Tyson's insides turned up instantly as soon as the foul water touched his face and he vomited even though he hadn't eaten anything recently, smearing everything with the foul smelling liquid. He wasn't aware of his surroundings as he collapsed on the floor breathing heavily listening to the cackling laughs.

"That'll teach you to obey your masters," the guards went away, howling with laughter.

They cleaned the whole toilet with toothbrushes after that without saying a word.

Every vein in Tyson was bursting with anger as he rubbed the floor with bare hands. They hadn't even spared them rubber gloves. "Those gits... Piece of shits... Annoying toe-rags..."

"It's okay," Tyson looked up to see the auburn-haired prisoner looking at him with something akin to sympathy. "They usually do things like that to us but it's better than being beaten to pulp, isn't?"

 _No it's not_ , he wanted to retort but decided against it looking at the sad smile the man gave him. The auburn-haired man was probably younger than he looked. he had lines on his face and his eyes had sunken so far in his sockets that one could say he was just a bone skeleton.

"Don't you ever feel like revolting?" Tyson found himself asking, "This place in inhuman."

To his surprise the man chuckled and it seemed to de-age him about 10 years. "We are here because we did things unacceptable. We _deserve_ to be in this place."

"What could you do– look, nothing is worth living in this hell and-"

"I betrayed BioVolt and helped BBA get their hands on the most classified information." The laugh had gone from his face and was replaced by a disappointed look. "I was the leader of the spies that defected and passed BBA every file they needed to sue BioVolt."

Tyson opened his mouth to speak but the man cut him off.

"I know it wasn't wrong, I do, but the first thing you learn at BioVolt is loyalty. They value loyalty more than anything else. So if you betray them in any manner..." He shook his head, "It's better to die than being caught."

At that moment Tyson caught Ray's eyes who gestured him to keep quiet. Moments later, the door opened to the toilets and 2 guards stood there inspecting the work done. Ray must've heard them coming before.

"Work fast," they grumbled, "We don't have the whole day."

They left without doing anything else and Tyson found himself releasing a breath he hadn't realised he was holding.

They didn't talk much after that, partially due to the fact the guards were hovering just outside and partially because Tyson became a bit wary of the man. He would start sobbing uncontrollably or just start laughing without any reason. At first when he cried Tyson thought it was because he had forced him to remember his old days... but when gave a howl of laughter without any reason, he realised the man was truly deranged.

Ray motioned him to hurry up with his work to which Tyson nodded fervently. He felt scared out of his wits when the man's howling laughter broke the uncomfortable silence and then turned in a heart-wrenching sob. He might have triggered some emotional imbalance he had no idea about.

With his hands shaking and sweat dripping off his brow, he rubbed the floor and toilet seats with a toothbrush, secretly hoping he wouldn't ever be faced with the prospect of brushing his teeth with one. By the time they finished, he had no idea how much time had passed but he did know that every finger of his was acting as if they would just fall off. For all he knew, it had felt like half a day had passed. Probably more than that.

It was a relief when they were taken out away from that auburn-haired man. As Tyson saw his receding form, he found himself thinking how the man was suffering because of them. He was suffering because he had helped BBA. How many more of his likes would've been caught by BioVolt and shipped here? Did Mr. Dickinson know about the things happening with the people he had recruited to be spies?

A huge weight descended upon him as all these questions swirled in his head along with the ones about Hiro. He didn't know what was happening with his brother, where he was or even how he was. For all he knew, Hiro could turn up just the way this man was. Deranged. Broken. And Tyson would be left watching hopelessly.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

Tyson and Ray were blindfolded and taken to another washroom where they were ordered to wash up and get dressed in another set of clothes as their previous ones were stained with everything from vomit to toilet-cleaners. After that they set off for the Mess Hall. Ray hadn't even realised that six days had passed since the last one.

They weren't allowed to talk to each other at all during the way but he kept throwing worried glances in Tyson's way. Tyson had been unbelievably quiet and strong through the humiliating ordeal they had been through and Ray didn't need to think twice the reason of this behavioural change.

The moment they stepped inside and were left on their own, the hard shell of Tyson's resolve broke. Ray had been waiting for that. He knew this would happen because they had passed through some similar things when Tyson had been asleep. He pulled Tyson in a hug before he could fall to his knees as silent tears hit his shoulders. Ray patted him on the back and a few prisoners who were sitting at the table too came up to coax Tyson and offer him words of comfort. A person breaking down was quite common here. Even the half a dozen inmates whom Ray had often seen mutter nonsensically to themselves or to inanimate objects, patted Tyson's head and Ray couldn't help but smile at the gesture.

Tyson was smiling too, but his tears truly stopped falling when Hilary rushed to his side and flung her arms around him. She rubbed his back soothingly and in no time was Tyson back to normal – albeit a bit subdued. It made Ray miss Mariah a hell lot more.

Mariah. Now that just seemed like a distant echo.

He had realised his memory of Mariah was slowly starting to fade. He had always been able to picture her cute round face, her pink hairs and that bubbly, contagious smile but since a few days her image in his mind had started to blur. He would wake up from the occasional sleeps he managed to get, screaming her name. He would talk to her for hours only at the end realizing it was the wall he was talking too. Something was wrong with him and more so because it seemed like she was slowly fading away, receding away from the depths of his mind. And if he hadn't managed to break down just yet, the reason were her memories. They had kept him going for so many days; he just couldn't give them up. Because he was sure that if he did, this place would drive him insane in the blink of an eye. Not to mention it already was.

Because talking to walls was not something normal according to him.

"Ray? Hey, Ray?"

He looked up to see Max smiling down at him, his haunting appearance refined only by his ever present smile. How Max managed to smile despite what they were going through was a big mystery to Ray.

"Come on dude, let's get some food. I'm starving," With that Max pulled him up and the led him to the food counter just as he heard distinct sound of the huge oak doors being closed.

Even though he had taken a full plate, Ray's mind wasn't in eating. He didn't feel like eating at all. Others noticed this and Ray was sure he would later laugh at that, they found a very innovative solution. Hilary practically started stuffing food inside his and Tyson's mouth. Even Tala smiled at their antics.

"You may want to take more food, Hilary."

Ray tried not to flinch when he realised Kai was at his shoulder, gesturing towards the thinning lines and almost going to close counter. The guy had changed so much in the days they had been here, became so brooding like he almost seemed to dematerialize when he wasn't speaking. His hairs were uncharacteristically messy and his eyes were sad and kind of empty, like he had stared straight into the depths of eternal misery. Perhaps the lack of drugs and stimulants were taking his toll on him.

Hilary nodded and rushed to fill another plate as she had fed him and Tyson from her plate too for which Ray was very thankful. But he had noticed something flicker in those chocolate brown eyes, something akin to fear that he doubted anyone else had seen. It appeared to him as if Hilary was faking her mood for their sakes. Something was bothering her and she was reluctant to share it with them.

And it wasn't late that he found out what it was.

As Hilary stood pouring soup in her bowl over the counter, some men circled around her and an olive-skinned surly-looking guy grabbed her by waist. Her shriek of surprise grabbed everyone's attention but before they could do anything, the man pulled Hilary's face in a rough kiss.

 **~~~~OO~~~~**

 **Okay, so I tried exploring Tyson and Ray's condition, and situation in Kryptos in this chapter and because I don't trust myself to be able to get this exploring-the-mental-state-of-characters thing straight, do tell me how you guys found this chapter ;)**

 **Till the next one,**

 **|| Read, Review, Follow, Favourite||**


	18. Chapter 17

**17**

 **Of Chicken Soups and Escapes**

 **~~~OO~~~**

As Hilary stood pouring soup in her bowl over the counter, some men circled around her and an olive-skinned surly-looking guy grabbed her by the waist. Her shriek of surprise grabbed everyone's attention but before they could do anything, the man pulled Hilary's face in a rough kiss.

"That DICKHEAD!" Tyson cursed under his breath as they all practically ran towards Hilary, Max screaming Hilary's name.

Hilary jerked her face away and smashed the bowl she was holding on the man's head. She had almost freed herself while the man was busy hurling swear words at her and wiping his eyes, but the other men rounded upon her looking furious. Just when Tyson could grab her hand, a guard pulled him back. Nearly a dozen men surrounded and blocked them from view and getting near Hilary.

The man whom Hilary had drenched in chicken soup snarled, "I was thinking we could spice up matters in my cell but if you're so willing to take matters in your own hand..."

Several people laughed and many who hadn't participated remained silent, suddenly looking very interested in the food in front of them.

"Leave her! Leave her, you foul git!" Tyson screamed and the men laughed even louder.

"Seems like your little boyfriend's jealous, girlie," He said eyeing Hilary up and down, "I won't blame him 'cuz you taste awesome. What about another kiss?"

He licked his lips and bent down towards her, but Hilary was not someone to give up to harassment that easily. Swearing under her breath, she spit on the man's face.

The man turned furious and more so when he saw Hilary's smug grin. He twisted her wrist out of anger so hard that Hilary cried out in pain, her voice passing unheard among the laughs around. Tyson pushed through the guards but they slammed him down on the floor. Kai was on the floor too with 3 guards restraining him and others were blocked from the view.

It was all mayhem until Tyson sensed the laughs and hooting slowly dying down. Due to the guards blocking him, he only fleetingly saw June marching towards the centre of the crowd with a hard look upon her face. The crowd parted and thinned out – enough and on time to give him a view of her slamming the git's head on the counter so hard that blood streamed down his nose.

As Tyson got up and rushed through the crowd trying to get to Hilary, he saw _her –_ his former sister – shove Hilary's molester towards Hilary. He landed at Hilary's feet. She looked uncertainly at June – or who used to be June.

"You deserve to punish him." She said, throwing a look of disgust at the man lying dazed on the floor clutching his bleeding nose.

Hilary definitely wasn't going to give up this opportunity for the world. She grabbed her molester by the scruff of his neck and punched him square in face. Twice. It felt good to let out the anger. She mentally thanked Grandpa Granger for all those lessons.

The man was clutching his nose and whimpering in pain. June glared him down until he rushed out of the hall.

Tyson placed a hand on Hilary's cheek, "I don't think I need to ask if you're ok."

She laughed and returned to stare at the way the man had rushed out. "Well," she muttered with a smug smile, "that felt good. Thank God Gramps taught me how to punch people properly."

And as per an old habit, something she and June had developed over the years while playing pranks over Tyson, she raised her fist for a fist-bump.

A pang of nostalgia hit Tyson. How many times he had seen Hilary and June squeal in delight and fist bump or high-five each other whenever they managed to successfully turn his hair red or dye all his clothes white or accomplished whatever stupidity they were on to. It was just a small gesture which thousands of people did everyday but... It is the little things that make our lives beautiful, that one misses. He was so used to watching that, that he immediately assumed for a moment that she would comply but then he hated himself for thinking so. His June was gone, he better ingrain that in his brain.

Hilary's hand was still hovering in the air and he was tempted to nudge her to remind it wasn't their June beside who she was standing, but then he looked at _her._ The corners of her mouth were curled ever so slightly, as if she was proud of how the event turned out and bumped her fist with Hilary's.

Kryptos was filled with men and in that moment Tyson realised that June and Hilary were the only women in the whole facility. But since June had probably been here before he had found her, there was no telling what kind of torments of this nature she might've endured. She was probably glad to give the man what he deserved.

Hades gestured everyone to return to their food and just as everyone complied, walking away whispering and talking in hushed tones, _she_ pulled out a nice big pocket knife and handed it to Hilary.

"I apologise for his behaviour," she said, her voice calm, "but from now on I give you the permission to slay anyone who dare lay a hand on you without your consent."

All the heads turned in their direction.

"Just what do you think you're _doing!?"_ Hades snarled at her as protests and talks broke out. "A prisoner isn't allowed to have any weapons and you don't have an authority to give her one. Boris will skin you if he found out."

But she ignored him and nodded to Hilary, who smiled in return and after throwing a glance at Hades, collected her food from the counter. She took Tyson by the arm and walked back to the Prisoner Table. Tyson quietly followed her, partly because he was supposed to and partly because he definitely didn't want to be at the receiving end of one of Hilary's punches.

Others followed them soon and Hades kept trying to reason with June. She continued to ignore him, paying more attention to her Chicken Soup. After five minutes, Hades gave up and looked like he could murder the damn soup.

Tyson turned his attention to his girlfriend, who acted normal as though nothing had happened. "Hilary?"

"Hm?" She answered without looking up from her rice and gravy. And Chicken Soup.

"That was really a cool punch," he said and Hilary threw back her head in laughter, just as Hades followed June out of the Mess Hall, still grumbling about stupid girls.

 **~~~OO~~~**

The dinner finished an hour later. The guards seemed in a hurry to take the prisoners to their cells. They were taken in groups of 7 and the security was lax. Even the hallways weren't as manned as they usually were.

Kai's eyes turned to Tyson instinctively because if there was someone who would take a fucking foolish risk in this situation, it would be him. And sure enough, he could see the gears in Tyson's head turning in the wrong direction. The hallway stretched to a few yards more and then ended in a fork. If Tyson was thinking what Kai thought he was thinking, then he was in for a huge trouble.

A nod to Ray and a quick signal to Daichi from Tyson was enough to convince Kai that apparently, all his friends may be deranged.

"Don't try anything stupid, Tyson." Kai muttered from the corner of his mouth so only Tyson could hear.

Tyson was surprised by the sudden conversation directed to him by the person he least expected. His pace slowed down as they neared the end and he replied, "It might be our only chance."

He sounded determined and Kai knew from first-hand experience that once Tyson ' _big-head'_ Granger made up his mind, even the damn devil wouldn't be able to convince him otherwise.

But then, how much ever problems and issues he might have with Tyson and more so recently since he found out he's been dating Hilary, he just couldn't let him and Ray and Daichi wander around this place alone. And if they were so ready to do something stupid, someone responsible better be involved because by Tala's look, he too was sharing Tyson's train of thought.

Kai sighed. He was getting too old for this babysitting shit.

As they reached the fork at the end of the hallway Tyson turned and punched a guard in his side. The other guards moved to grab Tyson but Ray and Tala intercepted them. Due to their reluctance to fight and awkward moves, Kai could say that these guards were sort of new in this job. A few twists to the joints by Tala, a few hits in the tensions points by Ray and the guards became practically immobile for long enough to let them get a hand over the situation.

Kai ducked and grabbed a guard by the ankles. He stumbled and fell down, taking another two with him. Tala and Daichi quickly disappeared on the left hallway and Tyson ran in the other.

After making sure that the other prisoners who were towed with them had no mind to follow them in their tracks and would keep their mouth shut, Kai too rushed behind Tyson silently hoping that this little detour wouldn't end with them getting burned.

 **~~~OO~~~**

Tyson had stopped at the end of the hallway. "Okay, so we have 5 to 10 minutes at the most. I think we should break up – you go there, Ray, and I will-"

"I don't think that'll be very wise," Kai replied as he caught up with him.

Tyson turned towards him, his surprised look quickly masked by indifference. "What are you doing here?" he asked, "I thought Ray was following me."

"He went the other way," Kai said and Tyson turned away to look at the way ahead. He hadn't imagined the first conversation he'd have with Kai after all these years would be this.

He decided to act normal. "Ok, so look, we can go in three different ways from here but the right one is not safe. I heard a lot of movement there. I can see lots of turns ahead on the left one so I don't wanna go there either, and the centre one is most depressing to look at so I was thinking if we could split up and-"

"No." Kai stepped forward and considered the corridors that stretched ahead of them for a moment. He moved in the corridor that expanded towards their right gesturing Tyson to follow him.

"But – Wait – There's a heavy chance of guards being there. I heard voices." And just then as if to prove his point, a worker tagged with a guard passed from the far end, missing Kai and Tyson only because of the darkness. When the guard was out of earshot, Tyson turned to Kai, "See?"

Kai sighed. "It's better to go in the known hell than in the unknown," he pointed towards the other ways, "See those turnings? It's awfully quiet ahead. We don't know what might be lurking in there."

Tyson got Kai's point. If even the people of here weren't going that way, then it was probably safer for them not venture in there. He quietly followed Kai ahead.

A couple of minutes before Tyson spoke up. "Hey Kai, uh... I was... um thinking..."

Kai waited for him to say more. They badly needed this conversation.

Tyson took a deep breath. "Look, I know things aren't exactly good between us and you hate that Hilary is with me but... I just want to say that... it is what it is. I don't know how you feel about the way things are but... however the events turned out, it wasn't planned by any of us. I don't blame you for anything – well, except that you made Hilary cry a lot and went totally insane with June that day – and I think you shouldn't blame me either and-"

"I get your point. Stop straining yourself." Tyson looked incredulously at Kai. Kai kept walking ahead as he spoke –

"I have been giving this a lot of thought, Tyson, and I think it was I who was at fault. I shouldn't have left her hanging like that. She deserved better. She deserves you. And I'm happy that you both are together. After all, she smiles a lot more when you're around and that's what matters. And things with Granger escalated out of my control that day. I wasn't exactly... sane."

It took Tyson a minute to process what he heard, then another minute to control his urge to hug Kai really tight. Kai pretended that he hadn't uttered a word and kept walking like nothing had happened but Tyson couldn't stop feeling a huge weight lifting off his chest. It will take more time to get things normal between them, sure, but at least he could see that they had a chance for that.

Just then, an ear-piercing siren blasted through the air, turning him to stone.

Panic rose in Tyson. They were now officially being searched for and if they got caught... he really didn't want to think about what would happen.

He hadn't realised he had frozen in his spot until Kai jerked him out of his trance and pulled him in another tunnel. Tyson hadn't even noticed that it was there. They made it 50 feet with lots of Kai-almost-killing-Tyson-because-Tyson-was-getting-insanely-panicky, before they were hopelessly lost in the intertwining tunnels.

Two shoves and one slap later, Tyson came back to his senses. And once he did, naturally, the first thing to do was to complain.

"There wasn't any need to hit me by the way."

"You were panicking." Kai said simply, as if that was a perfect enough reason.

"Sorry, but that's what people do when they are faced with the prospect of being burned to death by their former sibling and an overgrown prick." He glanced back. "And you were right. It's really quiet around. I dunno dude, I've got this sinking suspicion..."

As soon as he said that, the tunnel ended and they found themselves in a big circular chamber with eight tunnels leading out. As always, in the centre stood the person Tyson least wanted to see in his whole life.

Hades stood there with a look so malicious that running off in the opposite direction suddenly seemed way too tempting than facing what was to come.

"I hope he's not aiming to kill us," Tyson muttered, as guards aligned behind them blocking their exit.

Kai scanned around and then fixed Hades with a distasteful look. "I wouldn't bet on that."

 **~~~OO~~~**

 **A/N: This chapter was a work of haste, and a bit late than normal, but I really hope you all enjoyed reading it. Do tell me in the reviews! Oh, and for the record, I don't own Beyblade or any of the characters except the OCs that I make up and of course, the plot of this story.**

 **|| Read, Review, Follow, Favourite ||**


	19. Chapter 18

**18**

 **...Of mistakes and consequences.**

 **~~~OO~~~**

Hades craned his neck listening on his ear-piece. "Yeah, I found the fawns. Of course I'll bring them to you first, my Persephone."

He turned to them, baring his teeth like a hungry wolf. "I hope you enjoyed your stroll kids. It's time to head back."

Half a dozen guards advanced on them with whips wrapped around their knuckles. Kai and Tyson struggled and tried to put up a fight but it was no use. They were easily outnumbered three to one. It was when Tyson received a punch in his gut that he realized that those weren't whips. They were barbed wires of sorts, sharp metal points laced on flexible copper wires.

They used those wires to tie them up and pain seared through Tyson. The sharp points pricked his torso and wrists. The metal points scrapped against his skin piercing deep cuts as he howled in pain. He steeled his resolve and tried hard to keep his hands still because if he managed to pierce a vein, he wasn't sure they would allow him a medication until he bled to death.

Suddenly, the light panels overhead dimmed and began flickering dangerously. A deep rumble shook the whole chamber followed by a scream which cut through the air like blade. The guards stumbled down, clawing at their ears and hastily removing the Bluetooth devices. A few light-panels burst overhead and Tyson managed to escape the falling glass just by an inch. Several of the lights in the tunnels past them turned off.

" _Bozhe Moi_ ," Hades, his face devoid of all colour, turned to the guards. "Quick! Take them to the Compound! Vacate the spot!"

The chamber shook again.

This time they were swept off their feet and more glass shards broke away from the ceiling. Four of the guards lunged, took hold of them and rushed in the way they had come from. Hades quickly gave directions to the rest and they all scrambled off in different directions, while he himself ran down a separate corridor.

Red lights glowed above them signalling an emergency. Sirens rose but died down just as soon, as if something was tugging at the power supply. They made a quick turn and the guards stopped to remove their bonds in haste under the flickering lights, where the ceiling seemed safe enough to not being an early death.

"You'll be able to move quickly this way," said one guard in urgency as he worked to free Kai's wrists, "Look, I know it's still painful, but we have to get out of here as soon as we can. You shouldn't have ventured so far away." He looked up as if trying to decide how much time they had before the whole area would be engulfed in darkness. "Something is wrong in the Main Controls. It doesn't look like they can mend it. If we get lost in darkness..."

The thought was so frightening Tyson was glad the guard didn't finish his sentence. He didn't dare ask how it happened but if the lights overhead will turn off, and considering the maze this place was, they would be left navigating it forever.

Once he and Kai were freed, they dashed along with the guards, ignoring the ain cursing through his veins. He suddenly was picturing haunting images of him and Kai trudging along in dark tunnels, lost without food and water, all alone. The thought probably increased his speed a mile an hour.

Just as the big automatic doors of Prison Compound came in view, there was a sound – a loud noise – of something snapping somewhere far away and all the light panels died down at once engulfing everything in darkness.

One of the guards gave him a light push to say to continue moving and they trudged along and reached the doors which, thankfully, were open when the supply had died down so now, they couldn't be closed until the electricity came back.

Inside, all the prisoners had been brought out of their cells. Workers and guards stood around monitoring but a general wave of confusion and anxiety rippled among the crowd.

"We should look if everyone's back," Kai muttered as they entered.

Tyson couldn't agree less. The whole way back he had been thinking that what if Ray or Tala or Daichi got lost. He would die blaming himself for their conditions.

They dragged themselves among the crowd, trying to spot a blonde or brown mop of head. It wasn't long before they found them – worry plastered over all their faces – just as Hilary spotted him too.

"Thank God you guys are fine!" Hilary shrieked in joy and knocked down both of them with a tight embrace which Kai strangely, didn't find uncomfortable.

But because the old habits die hard, he quickly scanned his group. "Where's Tala and Daichi?"

"That's what we've been trying to find," Max answered. "They aren't back yet. Ray got here just a minute before. I hope they aren't lost or something..."

Just then as if on cue, a guard entered the doors limping and supporting a very ragged and beaten Tala. They rushed near the gate. Other guards too rushed to help their kin and some others helped to bring Tala inside and find a good spot for him to lie down.

"Dude you okay?" Max asked and Tala nodded weakly, sitting by a cell door. Ray went off with a guard for a first aid kit.

"D-Daichi," Tala stammered, "Is he here?"

Everyone exchanged confused looks. "Dude," Tyson said, trying hard to keep the fear off his voice, "We were going to ask you the same thing. We thought he was with you."

Tala's eyes widened. "Yeah he was but when we were caught I distracted the guards and told him to escape. He promised he would be fine. A-After that earthquake... I asked other guards to search for him. He – he's not – can he – _Seriously_ Tyson," he grabbed Tyson by his collar, "Tell me this is a joke. He's here, right? Tell me he's here!"

They had never seen Tala this angry and desperate. Tyson didn't know what he should say because if Daichi wasn't here...

His silence was as good as an answer. Tala cursed and made to get up only to be held back by Kenny, Tyson and Kai. He thrashed around, insisted, threatened them and requested them to allow him go find Daichi but everyone refused. They somehow managed to convince Tala that he was in no shape to go anywhere, he was wounded pretty badly. The cut on his forehead was starting to turn an ugly shade of green.

Ray appeared with a worker at his side. They worked to patch up Tala, who kept muttering how losing Daichi was his fault and how he shouldn't have sent him away. Max helped a frozen-in-shock Tyson with his wounds and Kai refused to take medication. He wanted to be sure that Tala and Tyson were fine first. His wounds could wait. The worker cleaned and bandaged Tala's wounds and after taking Kai and Hilary's permission, he gave a sedative to Tala telling him it was a liquid pain-killer.

"Let him sleep for a while," The worker said in a hushed tone as Tala's eyelids closed shut, "Rest is important for him. Your other friend is fine too. I know the barbed strings weren't rusted so there's no danger of any disease and you-" he turned to Kai, "One of your friends can help you clean up. I have to go to the North Zone, a lot of catastrophe happened there. If you guys need any other help, just ask a guard. They won't refuse."

Kai doubted that because a minute before these same guards wouldn't have hesitated to burn them alive but nodded nonetheless and the worker left, handing him some tablets too. Ray offered to help him and Kai agreed reluctantly.

Hilary mumbled something and excused herself. Under flashlights and makeshift torches, Kai went to the washrooms and washed himself and Ray applied band-aids on the wounds on his back.

They returned to their group, only to find Hilary returned and downright pissed. _Of course,_ he thought, now that she was done checking their wounds and injuries, she was going to literally chew them out.

"Whose God forsaken idea was this?!"

He was right. Tyson began to stutter out an answer but Ray cut him off.

"No, Tyson." Everybody looked at Ray who didn't dare look up. "It was actually mine and Tala's idea. He... he had noticed the security was lax today and we could have a bit of luck if we tried. We were already going to give it a go when you signalled to us, Tyson. It was fine by us... look, this was the only chance we could have had and..." he looked around uneasily.

"You wanted to look for Hiro." Tyson guessed and Ray nodded. Tyson cursed under his breath. "It must've been that shrimp's idea! I appreciate it guys, even I thought about running due to the same reason but-"

"CUT THE FUCKING BROMANCE DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS THAT WAS?!" Hilary yelled and Tyson visibly paled. "Just for one second, you could've stopped and reflected and understood how fucking stupid this was! If it wasn't for the technical problems then seriously you would've burned to death by now!"

"Hilary-"

"Even I care for Hiro, even I want to get out of here but that doesn't mean I go all reckless and strut around without thinking about consequences! Seriously, how old are you all!? Because even toddlers have better brains than you!"

Tyson shifted his feet uncomfortably and Ray fiddled with his fingers. Kai tried to look anywhere but Hilary's face although he admitted she was right. Their actions had been utterly un-thought of.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as her voice turned hoarse, "You have no idea what you've done and what it will cost. Daichi is still not back and remember – _If_ something happens to him, I swear you guys are going to pay for that."

She turned on her heels and walked away and even Tyson didn't dare stop her. They stood for a couple of minutes in silence there, petrified by Hilary's words as suddenly the weight of their actions fell upon them. Maybe they could've thought for a minute. Maybe they could've been a bit more careful. Maybe...

Finally, Kai who was feeling dizzy suggested they enquire about Daichi. Tyson volunteered and sniffing back a tear, he went off in the other direction. Kai motioned Ray to follow him. Knowing Tyson, he couldn't let him wander off alone. That would mean trouble and they had already enough on their plates.

The world around him started to spin as he tried to steady himself by holding the wall behind him. The tablets he had taken were probably showing their effect. And the prolonged lack of drugs too. He would have to ask for that godforsaken sedative later. He wasn't sure of what they mixed in it, but whatever it was it had managed to keep him asleep and reducing his urges for taking drugs. It suspiciously appeared herbal to him.

"You can rest if you want," Kenny said, looking up with his concerned eyes, "Max and I will stay here, you know, kind of guarding you."

Truthfully, Kai was tired so that seemed like a good option. He sat down near Tala as Max and Kenny sat down too. Max had a bandage over his right hand, Kai noticed. They sat there for quite some time, listening to the people shuffling around, cries of pain and the cackling of makeshift fires which were the only source of light presently. The dizziness seemed to die down.

"Why are we out of the cells?" Kai asked, trying to distract himself.

Kenny explained, "You know the light panels in our cells? They exploded due to – I'm guessing – a power overload, showering glass pieces and electric sparks everywhere. A lot of inmates got glass pieces stuck in their arms and back. Some even got burnt by electricity. I don't know exactly but I heard from a guard," he looked around to make sure that no one was dropping on their conversation, "that something has happened in North Zone that triggered all this – system overload, power failure and ventilation problems. Whole Kryptos is down."

"Yeah, and the facility was shaking like anything and did you hear the scream-"

Max stopped just as Ray and Tyson came back. Tyson had a brooding expression, like he was dragged by Ray to come back. Kai could tell by one look of their faces that they had found nothing about Daichi and it made him worry a hell lot more.

Ray plopped down pulling Tyson with him. "The guards who had gone to look for Daichi... well, they returned but they didn't find him. They said they would track his location as soon as the systems are online."

Kenny raised an eyebrow. "Track his location?"

"Yeah, well..." Ray glanced down uncomfortably. "Apparently, all the prisoners, workers and Guards are injected with a tracking device in their body by which the Main Control Centre always knows our location. That's how they found us out so easily. But with Daichi... when the systems went offline, they lost him. His last location was checked but it was all clear."

Kenny opened and closed his mouth several times like a gaping fish. Kai stared at his forearm. The thought of having a tracker inside him was bothersome, but he probably should've known this. After all, even in the Abbey there were cameras everywhere. Boris never lets anyone out of his eye.

But the rest of his mind was seriously fighting an urge to go look for Daichi himself. He wasn't much fond of the kid but he was someone whom he could, by the loosest definitions of the word, call a friend and... he glanced at Tala who was muttering in his sleep. Most of it was gibberish Russian but Kai got the gist of it – Tala was murmuring in his sleep for Daichi to come back.

After what had happened with Bryan and Spencer, he knew Tala wouldn't be able to stand the loss of someone else too.

Kai got up and no one stopped him. Getting out of Prison Compound was impossible; he soon discovered that after he tried to do so despite knowing how utterly not possible it was. He resorted to walking aimlessly at last, under the flames of the makeshift torches which cackled around, spreading a golden glow all over.

About half an hour later, the light panels which remained intact started to glow again – dim at first then as good as new. He heard several sighs of relief as a group of weary-looking tired men in lab coats flanked by workers entered the Prison Compound and set to work to restore the prison cells. The automated doors of Compound closed shut, almost trapping a technician. The guy was lucky to escape in time.

One of those workers stood conversing with a guard as he typed things in his computer tablet, occasionally looking up to frown at the un-responding control panels of the cells. Kai edged a little closer to eavesdrop.

"... bloody catastrophe," the worker was saying in fluent Russian as Kai stood over in the corner listening, "They were testing B-H 52 on her and she lost control. You heard her shriek, didn't you? Her voice was so amplified it was like all the power cables had her energy instead of electricity. Sounds ridiculous, I know. Repair work has begun. No deaths yet but five dozen workers and guards suffered fatal wounds due to the incident and..."

The guard squeaked, "Boris?"

"Boris." The worker nodded. "He is furious. The whole system is offline, Research Lab has suffered considerable damage and entire power supply of Kryptos is down. Most power cables have burned and several systems in Main Control Centre blew off."

The guard remained silent for a few breaths staring ahead. When he spoke, his voice was low and constricted. "What was the punishment?"

The guard sighed just as the digital panels of all the cells buzzed to life in unison. "What else? He plugged her in the Controls. She has to power Kryptos until everything is mended. And," the worker put his tablet down, "You have duty here today, right? Keep the prisoners inside. Being out would be a suicide 'cuz Hades is insanely mad at her punishment. I wouldn't be surprised if someone gets killed today."

It was hard for Kai to keep himself from losing his balance this time. A sudden fear wedged inside him – about Daichi or about what he heard he couldn't tell. He slowly sat down against the wall and tried to calm himself.

He shouldn't be experiencing such fear. Maybe it was due to the lack of stimulants or maybe the lack of medicine they were giving him to keep him off drugs, he didn't know. It was Hilary who suddenly held his hand that he felt being pulled back to reality.

After a minute when she was sure he was fine, she asked gesturing to the people he was eavesdropping on, "What did they say?"

He considered not telling her but her tone made it clear she wouldn't take a 'no' for answer. He relayed what he had heard and when he put them in words, it somehow seemed more frightening.

As he spoke, he tried observing her in an effort to divert his mind. Her face was set in a frown so it was hard to tell whether she was more concerned or angry. She was clutching the hem of her shirt too hard that her knuckles turned white. A tear glistened in her eyes and as soon he ended, she nodded grimly and left without saying anything, without any acknowledgement.

His mind shifted back to what he had heard. The Worker had said Granger was plugged in the controls and was powering Kryptos. He remembered Kenny had said her powers have hundreds of uses and today's incident... the way the _whole_ facility had shaken... if that could happen just because she lost control on herself then there was no doubt that she was powerful. But still... for how many days will she be able to hold? Three? Four? Perhaps a week?

And he didn't even need to think what could become of Daichi if Boris or Hades found him.

He drew a long breath. The Abbey seemed downright tame to him nowadays.

About 15 minutes later, the cells were ready to be inhabited again. The technicians and workers, though looking weary, moved on to the lower level and Kai had never been more eager to move back in his cell.

They woke up Tala who gladly went in his cell only to lie down again. Tyson tried to talk to Hilary once before they separated but Hilary was still angry with him, with all of them. She went away without a word and no one stopped her. Even Max seemed a bit off, like he supported her but nonetheless, he bid goodbyes. So did Kenny and Ray.

Kai too resigned in his cell. He didn't know what prompted him to ask that, but he asked the lights in his cell to be switched off for the night. The guard gave him a sad smile but didn't say anything as he started to change the settings of his cell.

The opposite wall which faced the Arena was translucent. He waited it to clear out, perhaps Hades was having another one of his shows but the wall remained like that – like a damaged, foggy piece.

Kai pointed at it. "Is Hades having another show?"

The guard laughed. "No, that's just a technical fault," he answered as he typed a few commands in a small touch-screen control panel. "They will mend it at the end."

Of course the first priority will be the Research lab and Main Controls. "How many days?" he asked looking out of the glass. The Training Arena was quiet and so still that even the silence seemed haunting.

"It might take a few weeks. There, I changed the settings. You can command them to dim or close and I activated the sensors too so every time when you're not in the cell, the light panels will automatically turn off."

The guard went off leaving Kai alone with a thousand thoughts still swirling in his brain. He thought of how Daichi was still missing and how they couldn't do a thing about it. How Hilary was furious at the lot for them because Daichi was missing. How he should've stopped Tyson and how it was his entire fault somehow. How Granger was consuming herself for one little slip from self control.

And how oddly weird it seemed that the slip happened at the precise moment they were facing probable death.

 **~~~OO~~~**

Since Tala had stepped in his cell he had tried to sleep but he just couldn't rest knowing that Daichi was missing. Not that he had any special affection for the kid but... he didn't know... he just had developed a strange habit of looking out for him in the past few weeks.

A couple of hours may have passed when a slight voice caught his ears and he glanced down at the Training Arena – courtesy of the now transparent walls due to the recent power downfall. What he saw was enough to pull him up.

Hades was dragging an unconscious Daichi in the Arena by his leg.

"NO!" Tala screamed with rage as he threw himself at the glass wall trying to break it. He punched it with all his might, he kept screaming but nothing helped.

Hades was in a trance. His face was masked with nothing but pure hatred and disdain as he sat by Daichi and stabbed him. Once. Twice. Repeatedly.

His knuckles seared with pain as Tala punched the wall again and again and again. He pounded the door, clawed at the lock, screamed with rage at the goddamn cameras until his voice became hoarse, till every ounce of energy drained out of him and he was left sobbing by the door, desperately trying to reach out to that red-haired kid, who was no longer breathing.

 **~~~OO~~~**

 **A/N: Sorry, this one took a lot of time but well, exams came in between and then came results which weren't good at all... so yeah XD Anyways, next chapter is on Monday ;) As always, thank you to everyone for being with me always - for reading this story and telling me where I can improve more. Love you guys :) Till the next time,**

 **|| Read, Review, Follow, Favourite||**


	20. Chapter 19

**19**

 **I love you, kid.**

 **~~~OO~~~**

"Out."

One glare and all the workers and technicians scuttled out without a word. Hades clicked the red button on his wrist band and the cameras on the corners of the chamber gave a faint beeping sound, indicating that he or what he was going to do wouldn't be recorded.

With that taken care of, Hades rushed to the dais in the centre of the enormous circular chamber weaving his way through numerous half destroyed super computers and mainframes. _Fuck you Boris,_ he cursed mentally. If it wasn't for that old coot, he would've come here sooner.

In the centre of the dais stood the 6 feet tall polished cross, or what could be easily mistaken as one. It was built way back when Balkov Abbey came in existence as a reminder of how closely this place was connected to that Abbey – a supposedly religious place. But this cross was never something religious.

As he came closer he slowed down, eyes fixed on his Persephone pinned on the cross – her wrists, waist and ankles bound with shiny brown barbed wires fixed with detectors and sensors so that if she stops, or tries to withdraw her powers, she would be electrocuted. Numerous electrodes and wires were attached to her head sucking in her energy and powers, transferring it to the heavy machines buzzing aside, to be converted in electrical energy to power Kryptos.

Her eyes were closed; she probably wasn't even conscious. He could feel her aura as he came closer. It had weakened a lot since he was here about three weeks ago.

Three _fucking_ weeks.

How much ever Hades respected Boris Balkov, he sometimes couldn't help but want to punch him in his perfect teeth. Had Boris not sent him off to France immediately after the mishap, he'd have brought her out sooner.

He dropped his backpack and set to work, all the while cursing under his breath. He filled in commands for changing the power source and ran a complicated set of coding to prevent other operators from seeing or detecting that the power source had changed. They both had programmed it years ago when she first came up with the plan. They never told a soul about this little secret of theirs. People at Kryptos knew that she could escape this punishment, but how, that was an unsolved mystery since ages. Hades smiled remembering all that as he disconnected all the wires and switched on the back-up settings.

He carefully removed the electrodes and wires and pulled her down from the dais. He pushed her on his back, grabbed his bag and walked out warning the workers and technicians on his Bluetooth that if they even breathed a word of this to Boris, they will find themselves dead faster than they could say 'sorry'.

As soon as he reached a silent passageway, he set her down on the stone floor. Now that he looked closely, she looked more haunted with lines and dark circles under her eyes. For perhaps a millionth time, he cursed Boris for that.

Hades gave her an injection filled with a transparent liquid – 'stabilizer', they used to joke when they were kids for it could bring even anesthetic patients back to consciousness in a matter of minutes with calmed nerves and a balanced equilibrium – and watched her as she regained consciousness. It somehow amused him how she had grown in the three years they were apart.

"Good Morning, Persephone," he grinned.

She gave him a tired smile and then sighed looking at her wounds. He laughed at that and handed her a bottle of water. "Come on, get energized. We have an hour at most. I'll drop you off in the washrooms of Prison Compound because that's the nearest so you can wash up and – don't complain."

She laughed. "I wasn't going to."

"Oh, okay." Hades said. He usually forgot how much she remembered. "I'll raid the Mess Hall meanwhile."

"How did you get me out-" she started asking and Hades opened his mouth to explain but she cut him off. "No wait, Reserves obviously. But that would've required a whole new programme. When did you code one?"

A thousand memories hit him like a loaded truck at her comment. He answered through gritted teeth, "It was you who devised that plan and the coded the programmes when you were 13, Persephone. We did that together. How could you not remember that?"

The words came out harsher than he meant them. She turned her face away, her expressions hardened like steel. Their past had always been a difficult topic for them.

She got up by herself, taking support from the walls and started walking. He quietly took the bottle back and fell in step next to her, supporting her which she allowed reluctantly, as they walked towards the South Zone.

"You know I remember next to nothing," she muttered as their footfalls echoed in the passage. "I don't even remember _you_."

 **~~~OO~~~**

Tala punched the wall and light sparks vibrated on its surface. It wasn't even a proper wall – just a 6-inch fibreglass designed to imitate the surface of concrete wall and at times, to give them glimpses of how helpless they were.

He kept punching it until the guard stationed outside yelled at him to stop unless he wanted himself decapitated.

"Then let us out it's been more than a bloody fortnight!" Tala yelled, though he wasn't sure if his voice was audible to the guard. He had long since understood that things sure came inside Kryptos, but they rarely went out.

There was no response so punching the fucking wall one last time, he slumped down.

Nowadays, the Training Arena used to be uncharacteristically quiet. Daichi's body had been removed long ago. There had been no training sessions, no more bloody killings after that – which he believed was due to whatever power-failure-system-overload thing that had happened. He was glad that Kryptos was suffering. They _deserved_ this. More than this actually.

Because he still couldn't get the images of Hades stabbing Daichi to death out of his mind. And he knew he will forever believe that his death was his fault alone.

 **~~~OO~~~**

Daichi hadn't screamed when he died. But it would have been a lot better if he had.

Tyson knew he was selfish to wish so, but for a second he could bear his screams bouncing off the walls and echoing in his ears but he couldn't bear this silence. This silence haunted him. Tore him apart. It made him remember how he wasn't there when his friend needed him the most.

He sat by the wall in the corner, hugging his knees to his chest. Even though his eyes were aching, he didn't dare close them. Every time he did, it was like someone had clicked the replay button and the set his brain to replay Daichi's death again and again. And again.

Daichi would never appreciate them mourning his death instead of doing something and it wasn't like he hadn't tried. But his hands were tied. If he dared do something, anything at all, there would be consequences. They had tried escaping once and it had resulted in Daichi's death. He didn't want to risk anything again.

He sighed at his helplessness as a distant tinkling laughter fell in his ears. He looked down in the Arena.

She and Hades sat there – plates of food and glasses scattered around – laughing and drinking alcohol.

He refused to spare them even one more glance. He just hated them. Hated them both. If it wasn't for her they wouldn't be here in the first place and if it wasn't for him his friend would be alive. He hated him. He hated her. He hated the fact that they even existed.

He hated that he was helpless.

He hated that he didn't know how to move ahead from here.

 **~~~OO~~~**

Hades grabbed her by her shoulders. "You don't need to go, Persephone! We can find a way. You _know_ we can."

The hour had passed and they stood in the Main Control room again in front of the dais with Hades not ready to let her in that _thing_ again.

"No we cannot!" She jerked him aside and backed away a feet. "Move aside and let me go."

She glared at him and he glared right back. The air around seemed to get heavier by each passing second.

He sighed and threw up his hands in frustration. "Fine! If you so want to sign your death warrant then fine!"

He moved aside and she climbed up the dais without a second glance to him. He wordlessly helped the technicians attach electrodes on her head and replace her bonds of barbed wires before stepping back to punch in commands in the system to drop down the illusionary firewall he had set up before and resume its original proceedings.

She looked at him for one mere second before the systems came to life again and she scrunched her eyes in pain as they started sucking energy out of her.

Hades desperately wanted to punch something.

"Put everyone on the intercom. No one is leaving Kryptos for any assignment including the agents. I want all the work related to repairs finished in the next three days."

"B-But sir," A spectacled man in white lab-coat squeaked, "We still have tons of work. The Prison Cells and maze corridors and... it will take at least 10 days."

"I don't care and you're not going to object unless you want your newly born grandchild who's currently in a townhouse in France to die by my hands. Got it?" Hades fixed him with a pointed look and the scientist nodded in agreement.

"Good. Tell everyone to get their asses off their beds. I'll be giving out commands in 10 minutes and I won't hesitate to take a life or two."

He cast one last glance at her, pinned to the cross and he was pretty sure he saw her smirk.

 **~~~OO~~~**

To say that Tyson was surprised to see so less guards and workers present in the hallway was an understatement. At this point, he didn't even care.

He went to the washrooms, brushed his teeth and took a bath. Weird thing, he'd never before taken baths so dutifully in his life.

The guard who accompanied him back to his cell looked like he was in a trance. He wordlessly opened the door of his cell for him and after Tyson went inside, closed it and stood guard. Something was wrong. The guards had never behaved that civilly ever.

Nevertheless, he shrugged it away and turned but what he saw left his jaw open.

He blinked. Once. Twice. Again.

Hiro still stood there as solid as bloody life.

He instinctively checked the locks on the door and cast a glance on the back wall. Sometime in the past hours technicians had repaired it so it was now opaque as before but that still didn't explain why or how his brother had appeared there out of thin air. Tyson thought he was dreaming.

"I should've placed a bet. It's been more than a minute since you're standing there gaping at me like a fool." He said and that was what convinced Tyson of the reality of this scene.

He tackled down Hiro with a hug that could've almost knocked him out. Hiro lost his balance and fell, but laughed and hugged him even tighter. "It's ok... I missed you too, kid."

"And I missed you more. H-how have you been?" Tyson pulled back and immediately regretted asking it.

Hiro looked nothing like he used to. His previously blue hairs over which girls swooned – including Tyson's own girlfriend – was now just a mass of filth and tangles falling down to his elbows. His grin was just a display of his yellow teeth and his face had more cuts and bruises than Tyson could count on one hand. Hiro's eyes shone through the deep sockets of his gaunt face and he had lost several pounds. Bandages peeked through his shirt and Tyson immediately scooted away from Hiro when he realised how many bruises and injuries he might've pressed upon while giving that one big hug.

Hiro didn't seem to have any difficulty in following his trail of thought. He laughed and it sounded as if it was ages since he had done that.

"How did you get here?" Tyson asked, trying hard to ignore the bruises and cuts on Hiro's body that he was slowly becoming aware of by each passing moment.

"I made a deal with the queen." Hiro replied. "And don't stare like that I'm still the handsome one."

"Then how come I still have a girlfriend and you don't?" Tyson scoffed. "Which queen by the– Oh. Ju- I mean, Hades's Persephone, right? That bi-"

"Don't." Hiro warned. Tyson saw something flicker in his brother's eyes at that little slip up of name, but it was gone just as soon. "I don't know if you know this but she's currently in the Research Lab trapped in a machine getting her powers sucked to charge this hell and if she's helping me despite being in that state, I think I owe her a bit of respect."

Tyson scoffed. "Even if it's is far less than what we did for her."

"I didn't come here to talk about this, Tyson." Hiro said and Tyson mumbled and apology. "I don't know how much time I have got here with you so listen carefu-"

Just then, the cameras on the corners gave a faint beeping sound.

"What's happening?" Tyson asked at Hiro's look of alarm.

"Nothing," Hiro got up and pressed his ear to the door. "That's my cue that I have only 5 more minutes with you."

"Wait. Just 5? But you just got here-"

Hiro put a finger on his lips gesturing Tyson to remain quiet. Tyson tried to strain his ears to listen whatever was going outside but it was absolutely still. They stood like that for half a minute then Hiro motioned to Tyson that everything was fine.

"I didn't hear anything. What's going on?"

"You won't 'cuz the doors are thick. I could because I'm wearing this." He pointed to an earpiece in his left ear. "It enhances hearing. Guards use it here to monitor what's happening in the cells. And no I can't lend it to you it'll be caught once the cameras turn on again."

"How did you...?"

"I told you Tyson. I made a deal with the queen." Hiro said as if that explained everything but Tyson still couldn't wrap his head around that idea. Still, he discouraged asking as Hiro spoke again –

"Listen. In two days time, all the repair work of Kryptos will be finished and there'd be a Mess Meal a day later. Ditch the guards while they escort you back here and run. Choose whichever way you may but run as far as you can from them-"

"Whoa, whoa stop there big brother. We already did this once and it didn't end well." Tyson paused as his throat threatened to choke. "We are not doing this again."

"You have to, Tyson." Hiro held Tyson by his shoulders. "This will be your only chance."

"We too thought the same last time." He muttered under his breath. "No Hiro. Please. Not again it's too risky."

"Oh come on! We are risking everything to get you guys out of here and you're telling _me_ about risks? How risky can it be?"

"Daichi is DEAD!" Tyson yelled and Hiro stepped back, his eyes wide.

"You're kidding, right?" Hiro stammered in his words, his eyes looking at him uncertainly.

Tyson gave a hollow laughter. "I wish, Hiro. I wish I was kidding. Daichi is dead because we all dared to run away from here." Fresh tears streamed down his eyes. "H-He thrust a knife in his throat first so he could not scream and then stabbed him again and again... and again."

Hiro sat down; his eyes blank as if he could not believe what he heard. His face was chalky and had lost whatever little colour it had. Tyson slowly sat down beside him and told him all that had happened that day. If the cameras hadn't beeped again, both of them probably never have snapped back to the current situation at hand.

"I-I have to go." Hiro got up hurriedly, taking support of the wall. "Tyson, I know this is hard." He took a step towards him. "But you have to do as I say."

"I can't risk-" Tyson began but Hiro engulfed him in a tight hug. "...Hiro?"

"I know, ok? I know you can't risk it again but trust me. This is the only chance you have. And..."

Hiro pulled away and knocked on the door. "Always remember, Tyson. I love you. You are the best brother I could have asked for and I'm really proud of you, I always have been even though I never told you. I love you, kid. And... Stay safe. Stay strong. That goes for all your friends too."

Tyson stood there stupefied like someone had just frozen all his limbs. And before he remembered he was supposed to say something too, the door had opened and Hiro was gone. Just as fast as he had came.

 **~~~OO~~~**

 **A/N: So, I updated as promised ;) And Hiro made an appearance - albeit with a bit of mystery surrounding him - but finally he came. More will be told about him in the further chapters. Once again, thanks to everyone reading this fic - especially CuteTyhil, Rock the Road, Unaisa Memon and Naive Subha ;)**

 **Till the next one,**

 **|| Read, Review, Follow, Favourite ||**


	21. Chapter 20

**20**

 **You know what happens in Hell? This.**

 **~~~OO~~~**

Hades opened the door to his cell.

Voltaire Hiwatari sat chained in one corner clutching his left arm and moaning in pain. It bent at a weird angle and there were fresh burns on his face. His finger tips were bleeding and as Hades came closer, he noticed fingernails lying near his feat.

 _Of course,_ he mused. That was her favourite torture method how he could have forgotten that. She lay in his bed snuggled inside the duvet, eyes wide open staring at the ceiling.

Her lying in his bed was his favourite scene. And besides, it had saved him the trouble of going all the way up to that murky little shed which marked Kryptos's location above the ground. One of these days, he was going to pin her on that same bed and fuck her until she passed out.

If Hades had been smirking, his smirk grew wider at that thought. And the way a pillow flew at him and hit him square on the face, she must've guessed what he was thinking despite that headband which prevented her from using her powers.

Boris had ordered her to wear it at all times now, except when ordered to remove it because she had been given way too much free reign according to him. Hades agreed with that. It wasn't exactly right but then, she was free again and with him and that's what mattered.

"You are not going to catch any sleep like that." He pointed out as he proceeded to change in something more comfortable to wear to sleep.

She didn't reply. He finished changing then arranged a thick mattress on the floor – 'cuz the _glorious day_ was still far away – near the bed for him to sleep on. He brought out another duvet from his cupboard and lay down blanketing it over him. It was like a wordless agreement between them, but an agreement nonetheless which satisfied both sides.

Hades had just lied down when she got up from the bed with a grunt of annoyance. "Why did he stop screaming?"

"Because he's an idiot," Hades replied.

She pulled a handgun from under the pillow and shot a bullet at Voltaire that hit him in his feet, just grazing the skin by a couple of centimetres.

Voltaire yelped in pain as blood oozed out from his feet. She put the gun back and lay down again, satisfied with listening to the howls of pain again. He knew it pacified her, calmed her down like music would to normal people even though it was practically sadism at its peak.

But who was he to say? Just because he had been out a lot of times on missions and assignments and knew and preferred the outside world, doesn't mean that he wasn't one of them. That he doesn't try to find peace in screams of his victims, that he doesn't enjoy the sight of a gore murder.

The only thing was that he knew was that it wasn't right and somewhere deep down he had grown wanting to change these ways. But for her, it was nothing like that. That line between right and wrong didn't even exist. She was badly in need of a psychologist. Or a psychiatrist. Hell, he always forgot the difference between the two.

"How did you know by the way?" He asked, propping himself up on an elbow to have a better look at her.

She turned to him and cocked an eyebrow. "What?"

"That I keep a gun under that pillow. I didn't tell you and you're yet to invade my brain so how did you know?"

She twirled the gun absently as she scrunched her eyebrows in thought. "I… I don't know. I just knew it was there. I don't know how."

He scoffed. "So Boris lets you remember that there's always a fully loaded gun under my pillow but he doesn't let you remember who I am. Perfect. Just bloody perfect. If only I could have him chained here too, my life would be awesome."

A playful smile tugged at her lips. "Would you like to repeat that again?"

"I'd rather marry my shoes."

She laughed at that. Hades liked how she only laughed only when she was with him. "Cleric Gustov told me you went to the shed again."

She sighed, like someone who was just waiting to be caught in their crime.

There was this dilapidated old shed in the centre of Russian Tundra which served as the only entrance to Kryptos from the outside world. There were three other ways too, but none of them were as much in plain sight as this shed was. They used it for bringing down supplies of food and drinks mostly, but nowadays with the world thrown in chaos, it had fallen into disuse.

"Persephone, we talked about this." He reprimanded. "Stop making trips to that shed before Boris finds out. You know he won't like it that you keep going out again and again."

"Out? Hardly," she scoffed and Hades knew she was right.

Electric barriers surrounded the shed to prevent unwanted and unauthorized entry and exit of people and animals, but through the small openings in the roof, several bats came in and because of the dark appearance, it somehow pleased them to be there.

And it pleased the occupants of Kryptos too.

After all, one cannot always take a human life to satisfy the thirst of blood. Bat lives were far easier and far cheaper.

"You can't kill those mammals every time just because you feel like killing. You can't keep that habit forever."

"You're the one saying that?" She countered. She was up now, propped on her elbow to face him.

"Yes, because I still have less murders in my ledger than you. Way less to be honest. You human murder count is almost twice of mine."

"But I don't remember any of them so-"

"Spare me! You remember more than you let on."

He immediately wanted to take back those words - because somewhere they hurt him more than they could've hurt her. A sad smile gradually overcame her features as she stared at him with a faraway gaze in her eyes.

"I just pretend I know everything, Hades, because that is far easier than accepting that I don't even know my name." She said softly, and the fact he was able to hear her made him realize that Voltaire had stopped moaning in pain. "And I know you know it but you still won't say."

"Why?" he asked, plopping down on his back, "Is 'Persephone' not good enough for you?"

And like always, she didn't reply. Like always, he turned his back to her without waiting for her reply.

But the reply came. And then the murders started.

 **~~~OO~~~**

Hilary lay down on the cold stone floor of her cell curled up like a ball, her hands tightly clenched across her stomach. She hadn't eaten anything for what she assumed was nearly 4 days, simply because she wasn't given anything to.

If she had known that that meal after was her last, she'd have eaten more. Honestly.

Normally it wouldn't have been a big deal because being in Kryptos for so long she had learned to remain hungry. She was often not given food by the workers and guards because she refused to satisfy their wants of five-minute sex. But this time, it had exceeded.

Hilary thought she should obey them and even though that little voice at the back of her head told her it wasn't exactly right, she refused to listen to it over the sound of her stomach rumbling.

She would sometimes laugh at this. How Kryptos had made her so desperate.

The lights overhead had long since turned brighter so she knew it was day time. But what good that knowledge would do to her, she never knew.

She tried to distract herself from the painful hunger by focusing on the sounds and voices of another Training Session going on down in the Arena. There were gunshots. Lots of them. Maybe it was target practice. She'd seen them do that once, though she couldn't tell when or how. It was just a passing glimpse of lots of virtual non-static targets in the Arena, who burned skin on contact and the men of Kryptos trying to shoot them down.

It was good that her wall was fixed now – opaque as before. Given the things she had seen, she really didn't want to see that place ever again. And she didn't think herself of being capable to look at Hades without trying to strangle him.

Just then, as if answering her thoughts, the wall started turning transparent. Anger rushed in her veins but she was so tired and weary that she didn't find it in herself to protest. Besides, there was practically nothing she could do against that. She didn't want to move, didn't want to get up.

The gunshots had stopped and silence engulfed them like a blanket. She was aware of Kenny asking her if she was okay when Tyson's hands came to hold her and made her sit up.

"It's alright. I'm here," he said. He was staring down in the Arena and Hilary followed his gaze.

 _She_ was dragging a man in rags to the centre. The guards and agents who had been training, were inching away slowly to give her a clear way. There was something unusual about her which seemed to terrify the men around – even Hades stood silent, too stunned to speak. And as she came nearer, Hilary noticed that too.

Her whole appearance was refined by a blue aura around her. Sparks cackled in the air and blue curls of energy danced around her palm like flames of fire.

She was barely holding her anger and she was really angry. So angry that Hilary was sure that that man would never make it alive out of her hands.

"Is...Is that...?" Max turned to them with wide eyes and Tyson looked uncertainly at her. She nodded and Tyson went to have a closer look. She closed her eyes to control the nausea building when there was a loud cry.

Tyson had thrown himself on the glass wall punching it hard.

"Tyson!" She tried to get up and rush to him but Ray got there first and Kai held her back holding her by her wrist.

"Don't." He hissed and she wanted to punch him. She jerked her hand free but what she saw down in the Arena, made her blood run cold. Hilary's heart probably missed a beat as she stood there, staring at the scene slowly unfolding in front of her.

"...H-Hiro? HIRO!" And if Kai hadn't caught her, she was sure she'd have fallen down.

Hiro was damaged beyond recognition. Kryptos had hollowed his face, making it gaunt and skull-like. He was bleeding from the head; one of his legs bent a weird angle and a huge burn scar on his back gaped from his torn shirt. He was trying to struggle but even he knew it wasn't any good as he tried to scan faces on the windows and when he caught Hilary's eyes, she was pretty sure he smirked, even if it came out as a grimace.

He wasn't going to make out of this alive. She knew it. She knew it by one look of _her_ face.

 **~~~OO~~~**

Hiro kept throwing obscenities at her as she dragged him to the Training Arena. If he was going to die after all, then why not have some fun.

When they entered the Training Arena, all the trainee guards automatically parted to give her way – which must've had something to do with how her whole form had started to illuminate by a blue aura. Her grip on his collar tightened and she threw him in the centre and he called her a bitch again, loud enough for everyone to hear.

There were audible gasps from around and that was when he got a look of her face as he sat up coughing blood. She was seething with anger, blue sparks cackling around her like electricity. Wisps of blue energy slithered down her hand and she raised it to aim a blast at him, when suddenly Hades stepped in between them.

Hiro took that moment to release a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. He tried to get a grip on himself to control his shaking limbs. After everything, he couldn't believe he was still terrified of her.

"Persephone, look, we can talk this out." Hades took a step towards her, his voice soft as if trying to console an angry child. Perhaps it had to do with their age difference, Hiro found himself thinking, because after all Hades was somewhere in his thirties while his 'Persephone' was just 19.

Hiro had always hated how he called her 'Persephone'. She had a name but still he called her so and by doing that, in a secret way, he conveyed to everyone how she was his alone. He was Hades – the king of this Underworld and she was Persephone – the queen of this realm. Guess who the fan of Greek Mythology is.

"Move," she said, more like a threat than an order with her eyes still fixed on him.

Hiro was trying hard not to flinch. Staring in those silver eyes which were now a bottomless pit of black, so empty and so _dead_ , it was like falling in a deep void of nothingness. He turned his eyes away, no longer able to bear looking into hers only to land his gaze on his brother who stood frozen out of his wits behind the glass of his cell.

 _Tyson._ He tried to move towards him but a sharp pain shot in his legs and ribs. He had almost forgotten that probably half his bones were broken. When he saw Hilary yell his name, he tried to smile but it only came out as a wince.

"He has BH-53 in his veins for God's sake LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Hades yelled.

"Enough Hades," she said, as she walked away to where Hiro lay but Hades grabbed her wrists.

"Why are you doing this? You know Hiro Granger is not to be killed. Don't defy Boris's orders you know what the consequences will be. That's an order, Perseph-"

"I said ENOUGH!"

Her eyes flashed blue and Hades dropped her wrists as if they were something poisonous. For a moment his eyes were wide, like he was afraid but he quickly masked it by throwing a look of disdain at Hiro and turning to walk away.

Perhaps someone had put the double-way speakers on too because the moment he moved aside, screams and shouts of the Tyson and Hilary and everyone pierced Hiro's ears. He had met Tyson just three days back but still, Hiro felt as if it had been forever.

Then Tyson yelled something that he definitely shouldn't have and a well aimed blast hit the glass straight where his face was.

"TYS – AH!" Hiro screamed as a pain cut through him. Two knives had flown and thrust themselves in his hands, pinning him to the ground.

The blast left a gaping hole in the wall. Ray and Tala had pulled Tyson away in time so he wasn't hurt but if the glass had been that thick, consequences could have been different.

Hades was giving away orders, "Vacate the Training Arena! And for God's sake someone cut off the speakers I can't hear over those brats shouting!" He tapped his earpiece. "Control Room – Turn off the cameras. Alter the details and tell Boris it's a technical fault. Every recording of this should be wiped off or I'll wipe off you."

The voice of Tyson Granger and his friends were muted just as his Persephone slashed a deep cut in Hiro's abdomen. His deafening scream rang in Hades's ears and he stopped in his tracks as suddenly he remembered something.

" _Bozhe Moi_."

The silent curse by Hades fell in her ears and it was a second too soon that she realised what was happening. _BH-53_. Hiro's body was going to explode.

She didn't even have time to think when there was a blast and she screamed as it took all her energy to contain the explosion around Hiro in one energy sphere. Her hands ached and it pained from the sheer effort it took to hang the explosion in a state of limbo; she had never manipulated reality and time like this.

It was perhaps that haze of pain that made her feel that Hiro had just smiled at her – that magnetic majestic smile which reminded her it was too late to back down now. She moved the blast higher and higher when her powers gave up and with one last effort she channelized her strength to form a cover on the glass walls of Prison cells.

Hiro's body exploded and everything shook like an earthquake. Small rocks and debris fell upon them and everything was covered in a haze of smoke.

She fell down. Alarms and sirens rose. There were shouts and screams and sounds of chaos around but it seemed like her brain was shutting down. She heard Hiro's name – it was like a distant echo getting away by each second.

She smiled – BH-53 blasts off people in tiny microscopic particles. Strange how nothing was left of that man but still he was everywhere – in the air, on the ground, on her clothes. Is this what they call irony? Perhaps.

With that last thought, she drifted off in a world of darkness dimly aware of Hades shouting 'Persephone'.

 **~~~OO~~~**

 ** _Bozhe Moi_ : (Russian) Oh my God.**

 **A/N: I'm sorry for the super late update but the next one's coming on Saturday because well, Diwali's round the corner the next 5 days are going to super busy (and exciting!). Do tell me what you all think about this chapter and thanks to everyone reading this story. You guys are the reason for my strength :)**

 **So with a wish of a very happy and safe and amazing Diwali to all my friends here (who celebrate and who don't celebrate alike ;P), till the next time,**

 **|| Read, Review, Follow, Favourite ||**


	22. Chapter 21

**A/N: Although I believe everyone knows the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone considering how famous it is, but I'm writing it down here because it was requested by Randomidiots. There are many versions of this myth - but here you have the most common and accepted one:**

 ** _Persephone was a minor goddess in the Greek Myths - the daughter of Zeus (king of Gods) and Demeter (the Goddess of Grain, agriculture, harvest, growth and nourishment). She was a pretty young girl - in love with sunshine and great outdoors and subsequently, Hades - the king of the Underworld and God of Dead and underworldly riches - fell for her. He went to talk to Zeus about asking her hand in marriage but because Zeus knew Demeter would never agree for this relationship, he suggested that Hades kidnap her and take her to the underworld. Then, they waited for a suitable chance when Demeter was away and Persephone had descended on land with her friends to play. Persephone was picking flowers and Zeus - with his powers - created a magical flower which caught Persephone's attention and she wandered away from her friends to pluck it. Zeus led her far away and then a chasm opened at her feet and Hades came in his magical chariot, abducted her and took her to the underworld._**

 ** _When her mother, Demeter, came to know about it she was furious. For days she wandered in search of her daughter - helped by Hecate, the Goddess of magic and light - when finally Helios told her that it was Hades who had abducted her daughter and taken her to the underworld. Helios was a Titan and the personification of Sun so basically he had seen it all happen. Demeter was really furious and sad that her daughter wasn't there with her so she refused to let anything grow on the land and let everyone starve to death which pressured Zeus into sending Hermes to bring back Persephone._**

 ** _In the Underworld, Persephone refused to eat anything at Hades's palace (because that would mean she'd have to stay in the underworld forever) and refused to even talk to him. But gradually, as the days passed, she realized that Hades wasn't as bad as she initially had thought him to be and started liking him. She began exploring the huge palace and Hades's realm when one day she stumbled upon a garden - a very beautiful one in fact - and she was surprised how it came to be there because it was the underworld and nothing could grow there. She took a bite of a pomegranate growing there but only managed to eat probably one third of it when Hades comes there, followed by Hermes - the Messenger God. Hades had made that garden for Persephone. Hermes tells them that he was sent by Zeus who has ordered for Persephone to be returned to the upper world because Demeter would otherwise starve the whole earth to death. Hades didn't want to give her up but he couldn't go against the entire Olympian council._**

 ** _But as Persephone had eaten the pomegranate, a fruit of the underworld, she couldn't leave. So this problem was solved by passing the decree that since Persephone had eaten only a third of the fruit, she'd spent only a third of the year in the underworld and rest, with her mother on Mount Olympus. It so follows that this is the reason why we have winter season - they are the months when Persephone is down in the underworld with Hades and Demeter becomes so sad that nothing grows on the earth. And so, this was the myth of Hades - the king of the underworld and Persephone - the Queen of the underworld._**

 **Now, on with the story -**

 **~~~OO~~~**

 **21**

 **The dead man's words**

 **~~~OO~~~**

"... and that was all he said. _'I know you can't risk it but trust me. This is the only chance you have.'_ "

Tyson finished speaking. His food lay cold in front of him – untouched – perhaps the first time in forever as they all sat in the Mess Hall for the same meal from which Hiro had told them to run away.

Tyson moved his hand for the spoon but couldn't bring himself to pick it up. He knew he should eat – he hadn't had anything since Hiro's death but insignificant things like hunger and food really didn't matter when his friend and brother were both dead.

"I know it doesn't sound appealing at all," he said instead, "I don't know how much truth was there in his words but those were the last things he told me. Now it's up to you guys to decide where we go from."

His words were met with silence from the occupants of his table. His eyes involuntarily turned to where Hades sat with her and for the umpteenth time he wondered if the price for meeting him was Hiro's life. Hiro had after all said he had made a deal with the queen.

Just that moment Ray spoke turning his attention away. "You know that there's a possibility that Hiro was compromised, right? Hades said that Boris had ordered Hiro was not to be killed."

"Agreed," Kenny began before Tyson could say anything; "It was June's-" he cleared his throat. "Sorry. It was _her_ anger that got him killed. But then the question arises what was she angry about? We know Hiro had made a deal with her so going by the most obvious reason, he perhaps failed to uphold his end of the bargain which then suggests he was not loyal to them and was trying to help us thus contradicting anything we have to say about Hiro being compromised."

"Oh really? Have you forgotten how much he loved her – the beast of a woman he and Tyson called 'sister'?" Tala drawled, "She can read minds like an open book. How much are you ready to bet on the fact that she wouldn't have used that _love_ to manipulate him like a chess pawn?"

"Well, she helped fund your measly little school too. How do _we_ know you aren't playing for them?" Kenny snapped.

"Because I'm not the one suggesting a bloody suicide mission!"

"But you certainly were the one who did it the first time!"

"Enough!" Hilary banged her fist on the table startling both Tala and Kenny. Fortunately they were sitting at the end of the table so her voice didn't catch anyone's attention. "Do you both really think this is the time for fighting amongst ourselves?"

Tala turned to her and said icily, "At least it calms down my nerves and allows me to confront people who are actually responsible for this mess because staying together has till now done nothing short of turning my life a living hell and this is coming from someone who spent 10 years in Balkov Abbey. Not that you'd know how that feels, would you?"

Hearing those words were like getting stabbed. Tyson sat mortified and he'd be making an understatement if he said sparks flew in Hilary's eyes. Tala raised an eyebrow at Hilary as if daring her to reply.

"I respect you, Tala," she said, pointing her fork at him with gaze sharp enough to cut through diamonds, "But don't say a word further or I'll throw all of that respect into hell. You aren't the only one troubled by this whole situation and you certainly aren't the only one caught up in this hell hole. My best friend is the reason for the deaths of two people I was most close with and that's way worse than whatever you've ever encountered in your whole life so think through all of this logically and don't you dare drink another glass of that shit."

Tala, who was halfway pouring another glass of wine for himself, sat frozen by her words. Kai quietly took the bottle from his hands and kept it out of his reach. Tala probably would've said something to her but Kai muttered something in Russian to him and he, after throwing one last glance at her, looked away.

Hilary composed herself back and put down her fork. "I know you all don't trust Hiro much. But I don't see what good he – or Hades or anyone in Kryptos – would get from lying. If they wanted to do anything with us then we've been here for weeks purely at their mercy."

"What exactly are you trying to imply?" Kenny asked.

Hilary looked around before she said – "I think we should follow Hiro's instructions."

"Hilary – You can't be serious!" Ray exclaimed.

Hilary waved away Ray's exclamation. "I've always seen Hiro making unusual decisions the reasons for which he never shares with anyone but with time, those decisions eventually result in the best. Besides, if things continue to go on like this then it's not a matter of debate that we are all going to die sooner or later," she paused and took a deep breath, "So if I'm going to die in this place then I'd rather die knowing I tried to do something and Tyson, stop that."

It took him a moment to realise that she was referring to him staring at her. He hadn't realised he was doing that. "Oh – um, sorry."

There was a slight hint of a smile in her features before turned away, her hands clasped in front of her. Tala wasn't meeting her eyes neither was anyone else. She had always been the bossy and the intelligent one in their group but this – this was a long shot she'd played. She was literally asking everyone to follow a plan which wasn't even there. They had no idea what would happen if they ran away, what they'll find or whether or not they'd be able to get out of there and if they were caught, Kryptos could decapitate them in thousand and one ways faster than any of them could blink their eyes.

This time, trying to escape wasn't foolish. It was _insane._

In fact, Tyson hadn't expected that Hilary of all people would volunteer for this suicide mission. She was so against it last time... she had ceased talking to all of them since that day, since Daichi's death. He didn't know what had happened to her in the last few days – or perhaps it was Hiro's death that had stirred her. Like it had stirred _him_.

He looked at her – unlike him, she was eating her food but he could see her mind wasn't in it. She was nibbling like little bird. And whenever she looked up, there was this faraway gaze in her eyes like she was looking at something which none of them could.

If anything, Hiro's death had made him want to leave this place more than ever. He had never been close to his brother but still, when he saw him there in the Arena – all bloody and broken, dying but still raising his head for one last smile, being blasted off to bits like some bloody cracker – it was like someone was taking away a part of his soul and that he'd bleed to death with the pain of it.

When Daichi died – when Hades stabbed him like a piece of meat – all Tyson felt was grief and guilt for not being able to save him, for taking actions leading to his demise. But now, after Hiro's death, all he felt was _anger_. He was angry at every little significant and insignificant thing that ever led to this moment, angry at Boris, angry at _her._

The only thing that was stopping him from leaving his chair and strangling her throat was the thought that the consequence of it would be more than what he would be able to bear.

Suddenly, the huge doors of the Mess Hall flew open. The whole hall which was just a moment before bursting with loud talks and jovial shouts went dead silent as Boris Balkov strode in, looking murderous. Everyone stood up at once, even the prisoners. It was only Tyson and his group that were sitting in the whole hall and perhaps only Tala and Kai who were sending looks deadly enough to kill a whole pack of wolves his way.

But Boris didn't pay any attention as he strode right past them. His red glasses did nothing to hide the fact that he was furious and as he swept his gaze across the whole room, Tyson could literally feel people tensing around him.

Three people in the same room as him whom he'd love to kill with a second thought – wow, what a test of his patience.

Boris spoke at last, and for all the hatred he had in his heart for the man, his voice sent shivers down Tyson's spine. "Where is Wren Cassandra Balkov?"

There were nervous glances and shuffling but no answer and Boris seemed even more pissed off at that.

"Have all my soldiers gone deaf?!" He bellowed, "I asked where that bitch is!"

Hades stepped forward with his head bowed. "S-she's not here, sir."

Boris regarded him and how Hades managed not to flinch was beyond Tyson's understanding because at that moment, Boris's anger strangely matched hers from the day she'd killed Hiro and if Boris had been looming over at him like that, Tyson would've run in the opposite direction as fast as he could.

"Are you sure she's not here, _Harris Despetrovich_?" Boris asked.

Hades raised his head. It was easy to see he didn't like Boris using his real name which in Tyson's opinion was far better than 'Hades'.

"Yes, sir." He replied, his voice devoid of any emotions whatsoever that if Tyson hadn't seen her in the hall just minutes before, he too would've been fooled.

Boris raised his hand to slap Hades, who for some reason still didn't flinch, when –

"I'm here."

Her voice rose from within the end of the crowd and everyone parted to give her way. Hades's looks betrayed the obvious frustration he felt as he clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles turned white. Boris lowered his hand and gestured Hades to move back.

She stood in the middle facing Boris with her hands at the back. Boris removed his glasses to glare at her and it was then – when they both stood across from each other – that Tyson realised how similar they looked.

The same steel silver eyes. Dark purple hairs. The same angry and severe expressions. He really had thought he'd mistaken hearing when he heard Wren Cassandra _Balkov._

All of this time with her and how did he not realise that? How did he not realise that she was his... _?_ Although the similarities did end just there but he had seen those eyes a million times before then _how?_

"About time you realised it." Tala whispered in his ears and Tyson turned to look at him. He gestured towards others and it was evident from their faces that they all had made the connection way before him.

Tyson didn't remember feeling so ... _betrayed_ in his whole life.

The sound of flesh connecting with flesh ringed in the whole Mess Hall. Boris slapped her again so hard that she stumbled. He brought her down on her knees before grabbing a handful of her hairs which had come out of the messy bun she's tied them into.

"I specifically told you that Hiro Granger was to be kept alive. How dare you disobey my _orders!?_ " He pulled her hairs and tears streamed down her eyes. "I think you need to be reminded of how things work here."

Her eyes widened and before she could protest a guard entered carrying a foot long piece of iron. It was probably just brought out of fire because the tip of its sharp jagged edges shone red. Boris took that iron blade in his gloved hands and a wide smirk spread on his lips. It was a second too late that Tyson realised what he was going to do.

"Vacate the Mess Hall!" Bois shouted with a mad gleam in his eyes. "Unless anyone wants to stay and be a witness."

Everyone hurried out of the Mess Hall as if they'd been just waiting for a reason to leave. The prisoners too were ushered out but Tyson couldn't remove his eyes from her terrified face – those silver eyes which pleaded for mercy and those tears which stained her cheeks.

Boris ordered her to remove her jacket and he hit her again when she didn't. It was the sight of that nearly faded 'Bitch' scar on her hand when she hastily removed her jacket that suddenly prompted Tyson to speak.

He shouted over the sounds of shoes trudging out, "B-But she's your daughter!"

He had just made a rough guess and the guards all momentarily stopped to look at him – whether for his bravery or for his stupidity he couldn't say but Boris remained unperturbed. He didn't even turn to look at Tyson when he replied –

"Yes she is, and I prefer not to be reminded of that fact."

Somebody pulled him but he still didn't leave the sight of her. She was looking at him and he held her gaze. One time when the days were still good, he had a brief memory of her trying to hide after a rather scary nightmare. He remembered how she had closed herself in the wardrobe with the kitchen knife in her hand and however hard they tried she wasn't ready to come out. She just sat there with her tearful eyes and quivering lips. Afraid to face anyone. Terrified out of her wits.

That's what he saw now as he was pulled out of the Mess Hall. The same girl in the wardrobe – afraid and terrified.

Boris took her hand and pressed the hot iron on her skin. He saw her scream, he saw Boris re-tracing that scar on her hand before they closed the doors and he lost sight of her. But he could still hear her – hear those drawn out screams of that word being burned on her skin.

He pushed through the crowd to reach his friends with thoughts of how Boris would've definitely been the one to do it the first time swirling in his brain. He remembered when she was still in the hospital shortly after they had chanced upon her and they'd seen her scar, how angry Hiro and his dad were. His grandfather had said that it was not a thing that should've been done to a 15-16 year old child. But Hiro said since the scar was old, she'd been branded probably earlier.

Now Tyson was forced to think – how early?

There was a momentous chaos but the guards were quickly taking back their stance and ushering workers away from one side and prisoners from the other. Tyson fell in step next to Max as Kenny and Kai too came pushing through the crowds.

"What have you guys decided?"

But before any of them could answer, a strange silence fell – her screams stopped and so did everyone. For a second everything was quiet – like the silence preceding an oncoming storm but then came the blast and the 20 foot tall oak doors of the Mess Hall flew off from their hinges inside the Mess Hall.

"I'm sorry father," Wren said, her hairs cut short choppily as she stood up shakily clutching her arm, "But not this time."

She turned and ran off in the opposite direction stepping over her fallen locks and a broken headband.

"Catch HER!" Boris shouted from where he lay on the floor and all the workers and guards sprang in action.

"It's now or never." Tyson distinctly heard Kai's voice before he kicked the guard near them in the shins and ran in a tunnel holding Max and Kenny's hands. Tala cursed violently and tackled two others giving way to Ray and Hilary, who grabbed Tyson's wrist and pulled him along, just as he heard the roof debris falling behind him over the guards who had ran to catch her – or Wren, as he could now call her.

Tala followed as they ran through that tunnel at the highest speed they could muster. The lights overhead flickered and many of them died down. Sparks ignited from the cameras fixed in the corners and several of them blasted out as they navigated their way bending low and with caution.

"What the fuck is happening?" Tyson yelled as a light panel fell inches behind him. "I thought they had repaired this hell!"

"She's the one doing it! Darkness and failed surveillance system is her best weapon if she's running away!" Hilary shouted over the 'boom!' of another set of cameras getting destroyed by themselves.

"It will also make _us_ lose our way. Oh bloody hell!" Another light went out and the tunnel was totally engulfed in darkness except for a far away light panel which flickered on and off, fixed above a junction of turnings.

Kai pointed that out and as they jogged towards that, Tala fell in step next to Hilary, "If we all die in this, I'm going to spend the rest of my afterlife reminding you it was your entire fault."

Hilary laughed – actually laughed and it felt like ages since Tyson had seen her do that. "That's cool. I wouldn't mind having company while being a ghost."

It felt good to see her joking though he didn't reflect much on that. Hiro and Daichi were no more, they were trying to escape Kryptos based on no solid plan but just words of his brother who had questionable loyalty and June – or better – Wren Balkov had minutes ago turned her back on Kryptos and was navigating the same hallways as them but in some other corner of Kryptos which increased their chances of being caught by nearly a hundred percent.

Maybe they will be able to make it out alive. Maybe they'd get caught. He didn't know. And there was only one way to find out.

Moving ahead.

 **~~~OO~~~**

 **A/N: Lastly, thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing the last chapter - CuteTyhil, Unaisa Memon, Rock the Road, Naive Subha, Randomidiots and Guest. And special thanks to Droplets of Blue Rain who read the whole of Part 2 in probably 2 nights despite her busy schedule. Love you a lot Misty! As for your doubts regarding June, she's alright - she just got all her memories back but as you may have guessed, she doesn't have all of them back as she said she didn't remember Hades or what her own name was. But all this has led to her forgetting everything from the days when she lived with Tyson and Hiro as June. Hope that cleared it up!**

 **If any more doubts or queries, feel free to ask in the reviews or just drop me a PM, guys! So till the next time,**

 **|| Read, Review, Follow, Favourite ||**

 **PS: Next chapter is on Friday - or Saturday - as time permits :P**


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